The Flame of Happiness Trilogy - Return
by Black Raider
Summary: Branch and Poppy rule well, and peace has been attained between the trolls and the Bergens. But a revelation shakes the kingdoms, and conflicts both internal and external threaten to destroy the happiness of the Troll Tree and Bergen Town. Can Branch let go of the past and hold onto what he has now, without putting his wife and daughter in even more danger?
1. Changes

**A/N: Welcome to the first chapter of my original** _ **Trolls**_ **story! I'm going to attempt to do weekly or twice-weekly updates. I hope you enjoy this as much as my adaptations. This is a three-part tale, so be prepared for a bit of a longer story than I've written before for this fandom. The story is a collaboration of ideas from myself and Reby Montana!**

 **Warning: this story is going to deal with some darker themes, and may also have some adult-like content. I will put warnings on each chapter when things may get intense. It's just for those who are worried for inappropriate or scary images. I get overly cautious about that because I have no idea how old you guys are.**

 **Enjoy this first chapter!**

* * *

 **The Flame of Happiness Trilogy - Return**

 **Chapter One – Changes**

The day Poppy became Queen was officially the day that the Bergens and the trolls attained peace between their kingdoms. It also was the day Trollstice gained a new meaning, and a new name. Every year on the day of Trollstice—now renamed Peace Day—the Bergens and the trolls gathered for a massive party to celebrate the day peace was attained. For this was the day Queen Poppy made a daring move that could've ended in disaster. Instead, the Bergens were able to discover the happiness inside them. While it took a bit of time to adjust to not eating trolls, the Bergens soon found that they liked feeling happiness for long periods of time in comparison to feeling it for only a moment when they ate a troll. Poppy worked hard with King Gristle Jr. to help the Bergens and the trolls adjust to living together.

For one thing, the trolls weren't completely sure about staying so far from the forest. They liked to dwell in the wilds of the wilderness; and even though the Troll Tree had been restored and could house the colorful creatures, the trolls weren't very comfortable in the urban setting of Bergen Town. Gristle realized this could be an easy fix. Old, abandoned buildings surrounded the Troll Tree, long since left behind and forgotten during the Bergens' twenty years without Trollstice. No one owned the buildings since most of the owners passed away years ago. The few owners who were still around gladly sold their forgotten businesses at Gristle's request. Then the Bergens got to work tearing down these timeworn buildings and setting aside the old materials for recycling. Once the buildings were cleared, the cobblestones were dug up and soil below refreshed with fertilizer and grass, and a handful of trees were taken from the forest in places where taking one tree wouldn't harm the environment. Along with adding some flowers, the Bergens could create a safe space for the trolls to thrive, and the area became known as Troll Grove.

It was a wonderful surprise for the trolls to see such kindness from the Bergens. In return for their help, the trolls helped the Bergens decorate their homes in a more colorful manner. The Bergens had to admit that Bergen Town had never been lovelier. It didn't take much longer for everyone to get used to the new living situation. The trolls even started planting their crops again.

All in all, life was good.

Once things started settling down, the most popular and well-known lovebirds of the kingdoms could take some time to let their love flourish. Bridget had a hard time letting go of her Lady Glittersparkles personality. The secret identity gave her confidence, but it just wasn't who she really was. As Gristle discovered, he loved Bridget for just being herself. Once she could push past her uncertainty and be herself, Bridget proved to be kind, sweet, and very funny. Of course, Gristle tried to be a Prince Charming. He had to take some time to learn to be himself too, and Bridget fell in love with him all over again. The two of them were married rather quickly, so lost in love and unable to wait.

Branch and Poppy were true soulmates. Poppy took time out of her day every day to be with Branch and help him get used to being happy again. Branch often slipped back to his old ways, but he didn't turn grey again. It took a bit of time for the other trolls to figure out what was part of Grey Branch and what was just part of Branch's personality. Nobody could deny how helpful he was for the kingdom. While Poppy helped the trolls and Bergens get settled, Branch organized trips back to the Troll Tree to move supplies and the trolls' things to their new home. Branch also helped Peppy work out some minor problems the trolls had when it came to settling into their new home. He proved himself to be a good king long before Poppy asked him to marry her.

Though, in a hilarious turn of events, Poppy proposed to Branch at the exact same time he planned to propose to her.

Like Gristle and Bridget's wedding, both trolls and Bergens alike attended the ceremony for Branch and Poppy. Satin and Chenille pulled out all the stops to make the best wedding attire for the lovebirds. Poppy wore a sleeveless, floor-length silk dress with plenty of sparkles on the skirt, which trailed behind her. A crown of white roses sat in her hair, holding her veil. Branch dressed in a pair of comfortable black dress pants and a blue formal jacket that matched his hair, a white shirt underneath the jacket. He even wore a blue bowtie. The bride and groom couldn't stop smiling at each other the entire ceremony.

Peppy, as the former king, officiated the wedding. "Now, you two have your vows prepared?"

"You lost the bet, Branch. You go first." Poppy said.

Branch rolled his eyes with a grin. "All right. Don't blame me if I make you cry and ruin your makeup." He cleared his throat. "Poppy, even though I was so young, I have a very vivid memory of the day you were born. Your dad showed you to the entire kingdom, and I was in awe. I told my grandmother that you couldn't be real. You had to be some sort of angel or mystical creature from another world. I couldn't wait to be your friend. When I turned grey, everyone else gave up on me except you. Always invited me to your parties, always tried to get me to sing, always wanted to include me in what was happening with the other trolls. Even though I refused every time—and crushed about half your invitations in the process—you never gave up on me. You drive me crazy sometimes, but it's just another part of you that I love. You are my happiness, Poppy, and I can't thank you enough for helping me find it again."

Poppy blushed fiercely. She wasn't totally sure she could top that, but she would certainly try. "Branch, I only ever knew you when you were grey. I didn't remember your true colors. I made it my mission to help you find your happiness again, because I just couldn't imagine you living your life so miserable. I must admit there were several trolls who told me not to bother. But I never gave up. Then we went on an amazing adventure, and we certainly were at odds for a while. And then you finally let me in to your heart, and I found out why you turned grey. I found out so much about you in such little time. When I lost hope, you were right there for me. Now I know that I can be strong as long as you are with me."

After that, the ceremony seemed to pass by much faster. Branch and Poppy sealed their marriage with a kiss, and everyone cheered for them. The wedding party Poppy insisted on included plenty of music, food, and fun for all. Even Branch allowed himself to let go and join in the rambunctious and flamboyant festivities.

Cooper approached Branch while Peppy and Poppy did their father-daughter dance. "Real happy for you, Branch." Cooper said. "You make Poppy very happy."

"Like I said before, she is my happiness." Branch said. "I wouldn't have my colors back if it weren't for her."

"Poppy really is something special." Cooper agreed. "Which is why I have to warn you of something. You know that Peppy adopted me when I was just a little cria?"

"Yeah." Branch nodded.

"So I'm basically Poppy's big brother."

"Of course."

Cooper frowned and put his face so close to Branch's that their noses pressed together. "So you know that if you hurt Poppy at all, I'm going to stomp you into paste."

Branch gave a thumbs-up. "Message received, good buddy."

Cooper smiled and hugged Branch. "Welcome to the family, bro!"

Branch laughed. "Thanks, Cooper."

* * *

The party lasted for several hours, and everyone returned home rather tired. Gristle saddled up Barnabas with a troll-sized saddle, and the Snack Pack loaded up Poppy's and Branch's luggage. The newlyweds mounted the crocodile to ride him off to their honeymoon spot. With Branch steering, the traveling party journeyed through the forest for the rest of the evening. When they finally arrived at their destination, Poppy found herself staring in awe at the honeymoon spot Branch chose for them. Barnabas stopped at the edge of a pool with crystal clear waters. A waterfall cascaded softly into the pool.

"Branch, this is beautiful." Poppy breathed. "How on earth did you find this place?"

"Starlight Falls. I found it on one of my excursions for supplies for the bunker." Branch said. "It became my own secret hideaway when I just couldn't stand being around the other trolls."

"Nice sentiment, Branch." Poppy joked. "Let me guess, you built another bunker here too?"

Branch chuckled. "Of course I did. In the roots of that tree over there. Now, this is our own little vacation spot, just for us and our family." He dismounted from Barnabas and helped Poppy climb down. They both still wore their wedding attire, and the train of Poppy's dress had been pinned up so it wouldn't trail in the grass and dirt. "You go ahead and check it out. You'll find a leaf made of felt. That's the doorknob. I'll get our stuff."

Poppy took the lantern Branch offered her and skipped excitedly to the tree Branch pointed out, and she found the leaf Branch mentioned. She pulled open the door and stepped inside. As she illuminated the other lanterns in the bunker, she saw it had all the comforts of home. Indeed, the vacation bunker was very homey compared to Branch's old bunker back at the old troll village. There was a kitchen area, a living room with a fireplace, a small study area with a bookshelf full of books and journals, and a couple bedrooms. The two smaller bedrooms appeared to be guest spaces, with only beds, nightstands, and dressers. The largest bedroom was for Branch and Poppy: a large, feather-filled bed with a soft comforter and fluffy pillows, a dresser and a closet for clothes, and a nightstand on either side of the bed for each of them. The bunker had no windows, but plenty of light thanks to the lanterns fueled by a glowing moss found in a special swamp in the forest.

As Poppy returned to the living room, Branch finished unpacking and even unsaddled Barnabas to let the crocodile hunt and rest.

"Where do you want the stuff?" Branch asked.

"Oh, I think we can worry about unpacking tomorrow." Poppy smirked coyly. She put herself close to Branch and tugged playfully at his bowtie. "Tonight should be more about a certain wedding tradition."

"What are you so eager about?" Branch laughed.

"Nothing big." Poppy shrugged teasingly. "Just eager to spend every night with the one I love." She flicked at his jacket collar. "I like you better without a shirt."

Branch rolled his eyes and scooped up Poppy, causing her to squeal in surprise. He promptly dropped her on the couch and marched to the kitchen, leaving Poppy in a giggling mess on the sofa.

"Hey!" Poppy complained. "Branch!"

"Poppy, I love you." Branch called from the kitchen. "But I'm not consummating our marriage when my butt is sore from riding a saddle for hours on end. Give me a minute to catch my breath and relax and then we can worry about it."

Poppy sighed dramatically. "At least make me some hot chocolate while you're in there."

"With a handful of marshmallows?" Branch guessed.

"Aw, you _do_ know me." Poppy gushed.

Branch returned with two cups of cocoa: one with a stick of peppermint in it and the other so full of marshmallows they threatened to spill over the rim of the mug. Poppy and Branch sat on the couch in silence. Darkness of night settled over the land. Outside, Barnabas curled up to sleep. Poppy and Branch finished their cocoa and continued to just sit and cuddle.

Branch slid off the crown Peppy put on his head upon finishing the wedding. It was the same crown Peppy wore as king: leafy and wreath-like in design, and carrying the full weight of a king's responsibilities.

"Hey Poppy?"

"Hmm?"

"Will I be a good king?"

Poppy perked up, a bit surprised. "How could you think otherwise? At least you didn't have someone saying things like 'I can't believe you're going to be queen one day.'"

Poppy had said that last part jokingly, yet Branch still blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry about that. It's just that you're a princess. You were bred for this sort of thing. I just don't know if I can be the king everyone expects me to be."

"Branch, look at everything you've done for the kingdom." Poppy said. "You helped everyone get settled. You protected them from danger when we took trips to the old village. Heck, you're the reason we got our colors back when we were trapped in that pot." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You will be a great king. I know it." She picked up her and Branch's mugs and took them to the kitchen. "Come into the bedroom when you're ready." She called.

"Be there in a minute." Branch called back.

"Don't be too long!" Poppy called from inside the bedroom.

"I'll just be a minute!" Branch repeated, laughing. He looked over the back of the couch to see the door to the bedroom shut. Branch looked around and listened carefully. He was completely alone in the living room and everything was silent, just as he wanted.

Branch slid off his jacket and folded it neatly, placing it on the coffee table. He checked once more to make sure he was alone, and then reached into the collar of his white shirt and pulled out a pendant on a thin metal chain. The pendant was made of gold, in the shape of a flame with a heart in the center of it. The heirloom belonged to Branch's mother, and was given to him by his grandmother on his first birthday. He rarely took it off, always hiding it under his vest so no one would pry regarding what it meant.

Branch gently pressed the pendant to his lips, holding it close to his heart. "Goodnight, Mom. I hope you're doing okay in heaven. Love you." Though it made his heart heavy, this was a tradition he never failed to complete every single night. He had several journals of his father's poetry to remember him by. This necklace was all he had to remember his mother. He stared up at the ceiling. "I hope you're proud of me, Mom. I'm going to be the best king I can be, I promise."

After a moment of meditation, Branch shed his shirt and pants and folded those tidily to place on top of his jacket. To protect his necklace from harm, Branch removed that too and tucked it into one of the pockets on his jacket. Now he was just in his boxers, not that they would stay on much longer if Poppy had her way. Branch walked to the bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Oh my lovely new wife!" Branch called in jest. "Ready when you are!"

"One second!" Poppy called from inside.

"You were so eager to do this!" Branch laughed, combing out his hair with his fingers. "What's the holdup?"

"Just hang on!" Poppy giggled madly, which she only did when she was planning something. "Okay, come on in!"

Branch pushed the door open, and he paused. Flower petals lay strewn about the bed. Poppy wore only her underwear and slip, laying on her side on the bed with a flower in her teeth. She smirked flirtatiously. Branch stared at her for a moment, and then walked out and shut the door.

Poppy frowned, spitting the flower out of her mouth. "What? Too much?" She heard a strange, muffled sound, and Poppy's eyebrows furrowed in concern. She jumped off the bed and hurried to the door. "Branch? Are you okay?" She pulled the door open, and she had to hop to one side to avoid Branch falling onto her. He collapsed to a heap, and Poppy realized those muffled sounds she heard was Branch trying to hide his laughter. Now that he had been found, Branch couldn't stop himself from laughing uproariously.

"Poppy…..that….." Branch couldn't even speak from laughing so hard.

Poppy frowned in irritation now, and she put her hands on her hips. "And just what is so funny?"

"You!" Branch wiped tears from his eyes. "That was the funniest thing I've ever seen from you!"

Poppy lightly stomped on Branch's stomach, making him curl up while he still laughed. She jumped onto him and lightly punched his back and shoulders. "And what is so funny about me being romantic, huh? Just because you write poetry doesn't mean you're any more romantic than I am!"

Branch grabbed Poppy and pulled her into a bear hug as he stood up. Poppy shrieked and punched him some more, demanding to be put down. Branch hauled her over to the bed and tossed her onto it. He jumped up onto the bed too and started tickling at her ribs. Despite Poppy trying to be annoyed with him, she couldn't stop her giggles. After a few minutes of the play, the two of them lay back on the bed, panting heavily.

"No…..fair….." Poppy sighed.

"All's fair in love and war." Branch shrugged. He turned over onto his side, his back to Poppy. "Well, goodnight."

"Oh no you don't!" Poppy snapped. "You aren't getting out of this!"

"Too bad." Branch shrugged.

Poppy plopped down to sit on Branch's stomach. She crossed her arms. "I'm going to sit on you until you go through with this. And you won't be able to move me at all!"

Branch raised an eyebrow. It seemed Poppy forgot that he was pretty much all muscle from building his bunker and surviving out in the forest. To remind her, he promptly twisted over and pinned her to the bed. They were nose-to-nose now, Poppy glaring in annoyance while Branch smirked teasingly.

"It's a good thing you're cute." Poppy huffed.

"You know it." Branch snickered. He brushed Poppy's bangs from her face, and her exasperated expression melted. She accepted his kiss. She could feel his hand snaking up her back, his fingers running through her hair to push her deeper into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck. They didn't break the kiss until their need for air demanded it.

Poppy grinned. "Now that's more like it, you snarky son of a—"

"Now, my queen." Branch put a finger to her lips. "That's no language for a lady."

"Whatever." Poppy pulled him in for another passionate kiss.

* * *

Needless to say, the wedding night was nothing short of magical for Branch and Poppy. However, hindsight told them they should've done something important before their dalliance. When the two of them rose from bed the next morning, they found that they should've cleared the flower petals off the bed first. Their bodies were so sticky from sweat, the petals stuck to their skin. It took almost twenty minutes to get the petals off each other.

The rest of the three-day honeymoon passed, full of swimming and hiking and a few more nights of fun. They spent plenty of time stargazing and simply enjoying one another's company. Poppy was a little sad to leave, but already began planning the next family vacation on the way home to the Troll Tree. The trolls welcomed them back warmly, and soon everyone was back to their normal routine.

One morning, Branch woke up to the sound of Poppy leading the morning song. _Odd. She normally pushes me to get out of bed to join her._ Branch figured Poppy went easy on him today, and he groggily pushed himself upright and stretched. He went through his normal routine of brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and getting dressed before going to have breakfast.

Just as he finished his breakfast, Branch heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"Your favorite godfather/father-in-law!" Peppy's voice called cheerily from the other side.

Branch grinned and opened the door. Peppy stood outside, carrying a large white box tied with a pretty blue ribbon. Marrying Poppy didn't really change his relationship with Peppy. The former king also served the role as Branch's godfather, which made him responsible for the boy after the death of his grandmother. Peppy had done his best to help Branch, even when he had pushed his godfather away.

"King Peppy." Branch greeted with a bow.

" _Former_ king, my boy." Peppy chuckled. "That's a title you wear now."

"And I'll do it as well as I can, sir." Branch said. "Please, come in."

"Thank you." Peppy stepped into the pod. "I actually came to deliver a gift to you."

"What for?" Branch asked.

"It was supposed to be a wedding gift." Peppy explained. "But I didn't want to spoil a happy occasion with painful memories." Branch stared at him strangely, and Peppy handed him the box to give him the answer. Branch took the box and sat on the sofa. He untied the ribbon and lifted up the lid to the box. When he saw the contents, Branch's heart nearly stopped. He slowly pulled the object from the box.

It was Rosiepuff's old coat. The yarn was still soft, and the hearts and trim hardly lost their shine. It even smelled faintly of her perfume.

"Where….where did you get this?" Branch couldn't speak above a whisper.

Peppy sat beside Branch, a forlorn look on his face. "There's a bit of a story behind that."

Branch stared at Peppy. "Did you…..find it somewhere? What happened?"

Peppy sighed. "After your grandmother was taken, Branch…I went after her…."

* * *

 _Peppy hadn't been too far away when he heard the terrified shriek. He took off across the branches of the Troll Tree, his cape billowing behind him. When he came closer to the source of the scream, he saw someone had been in the middle of hanging laundry. The Bergen known as Chef slammed the door to the cage shut behind her._

What was she doing in here? _Peppy wondered._ It's not Trollstice. _Peppy suddenly realized where he stood. "Rosiepuff! Branch! Where are you?" He scanned the branches around him, but he didn't see his friend or her grandson. The king looked down to the ground, and he saw a grey and black shape. He wrapped his hair around the tree branch he stood on, and he lowered himself to the ground. He pushed through the grass and flowers and saw a young troll boy kneeling on the ground with his head lowered. His skin was grey and his hair black, but Peppy could recognize the five-year-old anywhere._

" _Branch!" Peppy gasped, kneeling in front of the boy. "Branch, are you hurt?"_

 _The newly greyed Branch looked up to Peppy, and he burst into tears._

" _No, no, no." Peppy shushed, pulling Branch into a tight hug. "There, there. Branch, it's going to be all right. But you need to listen to me. Where is your grandmother?"_

" _B-B-B-Bergen….took G-G-Grandma….." Branch hiccupped between sobs. "I didn't…..I d-d-didn't see….and th-then she….." He broke down sobbing again, burying his face in the crook of Peppy's shoulder._

 _Peppy rubbed Branch's back soothingly. "Easy, Branch. It's all right. I'm right here." He glared in the direction Chef left. "You're coming home with me, Branch. I'm going to take care of you. All right?"_

 _Branch hiccupped again. "O-okay….."_

 _Peppy stood, stretching his hair out again to pull him into the Troll Tree. He passed by the pod home of Cybil, a skilled yogi and another good friend to Peppy and Rosiepuff. She had minty green skin and hair a bright teal color. She wore a light purple dress, golden hoop earrings (two of them on one ear and one on the other), and a lavender bindi gem on her forehead. Cybil stood by her door, apparently troubled. Whether or not she heard the shriek, Peppy had no idea._

" _Cybil!" Peppy shouted. "See me at my home in ten minutes!" He didn't wait for Cybil to respond. He went straight to his pod home and took Branch to the playroom. Very carefully, very gently, Peppy unlatched Branch's grip and set the boy on the ground. "I need you to do me a favor, okay?" Peppy asked Branch._

 _The boy sniffled. He had stopped sobbing by now. "What favor?"_

 _Peppy stood and retrieved his infant daughter from her crib. Poppy very recently turned a year old. She just began talking with simple words. Peppy set the baby down next to Branch. "I need to run an errand. Can you take care of my daughter?"_

 _When Poppy saw the grey troll, she reached for him with a curious look in her eyes. She cooed and giggled._

 _Branch's eyes lit up a little when he saw the princess. "Sure….."_

 _Peppy tousled Branch's hair. "That's a good lad."_

" _Peppy!" Cybil called from the hallway._

" _In here!" Peppy called back. Cybil entered the playroom, her adoptive son Creek in tow. Creek's parents died in the last Trollstice, and Cybil had immediately adopted him. Not only was she his mother, she was also his mentor. Early on, Creek showed potential to be a strong yogi, so Cybil took him under her wing. Creek was the same age as Branch._

" _What's wrong with Branch?" Creek asked, staring worriedly at his friend._

" _He just needs a friend right now." Peppy said. "Can you help him?"_

" _Sure!" Creek chirped. He immediately went to Branch's side and knelt next to him. "Hi Branch. You okay?"_

 _Branch shrugged. He couldn't speak because he began crying again. Creek patted his back comfortingly._

" _What is the meaning of this, Peppy?" Cybil asked. She was the only troll besides Rosiepuff who spoke to Peppy so informally._

" _Chef took Rosiepuff." Peppy whispered to her. "I'm going to get her back. I need you to watch Branch and Poppy while I'm gone."_

" _Peppy, that's a crazy idea." Cybil protested. "You cannot go chasing after a Bergen!"_

" _She took our friend, Cybil!" Peppy hissed. "It would've been horrible if Rosiepuff had been a Trollstice Troll; but she was taken for no reason! I won't stand for it."_

" _And what if you don't come back?" Cybil demanded._

" _That's a risk I'm willing to take." Peppy said. "Cybil, come on. She's our friend. I can't just sit here and watch this happen. I promised myself I would get her out of here along with everyone else. We're so close to finishing the tunnel. So I'm going out there and bringing her home."_

 _Cybil stared at Peppy for a moment, and then looked to Branch. In a few_ dings _, everyone's Hug Time bracelets went off. Creek grinned and opened his arms to Branch. In response, the grey child ripped his Hug Time bracelet off and threw it across the room. He froze, unable to believe he just did that. But Creek stopped him from apologizing, and he gently hugged his friend. Branch shook as he started sobbing again._

" _Go." Cybil said. "Bring Rosiepuff back. Not for us, but for him."_

 _Peppy nodded. He hung up his cape and his crown so they wouldn't slow him down. Then he slipped out of the pod and hurried down to the ground. Peppy went to the bars of the cage around the Troll Tree, and he peered out. The guards were switching out. Perfect timing. Peppy slipped through the bars of the cage and sprinted to a nearby trashcan. He hid behind the can as the guards finished their switch. The guards now off-duty stood in a group as they headed right for the castle. Peppy used his hair to camouflage himself, changing his hair color to match the guards' boots. He kept right up with the guards, so silent that none of them noticed they were being followed. Upon reaching the stairs to the castle, the guards went in another direction and towards the stables. Peppy retracted his hair and let it fade back to its normal color. He began climbing the steps and towards the door._

 _The king paused. Did he hear someone call for him? The sound didn't come again, so Peppy continued his climb. It took quite a bit of time for him to make it to the front doors of the castle. He jumped aside when the door swung open. King Gristle Sr. stepped out, cradling his soon-to-be three-year-old son in one arm._

" _Come, my boy!" the Bergen king said cheerfully. "We should go see our subjects. A good king maintains a good relationship with his subjects."_

" _Can we see the trolls, Daddy?" Prince Gristle asked._

" _Of course!" King Gristle laughed._

 _Peppy scowled as he darted into the castle._ Monstrous beasts. _He would never forget last Trollstice, when his beloved wife was taken from him. Poppy was now motherless thanks to the Bergens. Branch was an orphan because of them. "Not if I have anything to say about it." Peppy growled as he hurried off to find the kitchen. Branch already lost his parents. He couldn't lose his grandmother. Now if only Peppy could find the kitchen. He read about medieval castles. If he remembered the layout well enough, then the kitchen should be on one of the lower levels._

 _After he finally located the stairs, Peppy traveled down to the very bottom, and that's when he had to stop at the sight of a couple other Bergen chefs. These were assistants to the royal chef, and they carried dirty dishes from lunch. Peppy stayed right behind them, hiding every chance he got. Following the chefs, Peppy reached the kitchen in a few minutes. He dove under a table and watched the Bergens move. The assistant chefs put the dishes in the sink and then hurried off at the screeching call of Chef. Once they were gone, Peppy began his search._

" _Rosiepuff!" Peppy called as loudly as he dared. "Rosiepuff, answer me! Where are you?" He climbed up to the countertops and ran across them, checking behind every jar and inside every pot and pan. He left the Troll Tree soon after Chef did. She couldn't have cooked her catch already. And what purpose would Chef have to take just one troll? Peppy continued to scour the kitchen. "Rosiepuff!"_

 _The door creaked open, and Peppy jumped onto a broom and slid down to the ground. He ducked under a table and hid behind the leg to avoid being seen. But he felt something hard and cold hit his back, and he jumped forward. He slapped his hands over his mouth to muffle his shout of pain. Peppy turned around and saw he accidentally leaned against a nail head sticking out of the wood. The troll king noticed something caught on the nail: a length of knitted yarn with pink hearts._

 _Rosiepuff's coat._

 _Peppy shakily untangled the coat from the nail, rubbing the soft shawl with his thumb._ Where is she? _He wondered desperately. He went to the edge of the table and stared out into the kitchen to see if he could spot his friend._

 _He jumped when he came face-to-face with a Bergen._

 _Peppy leaped so high he almost hit his head on the underside of the table. The Bergen stared back at him with her wide pink eyes. She had grey skin and bright pink hair, wearing a pink dress and a white apron. She looked like a child, far too young to be working in a kitchen. Oddly enough, she didn't make a move to catch Peppy._

" _Scullery maid!" Chef shouted._

 _The young Bergen stood quickly and used her broom to drag Peppy out of his hiding spot. She quickly put the broom in front of him, shaking it a little. Catching on, Peppy folded Rosiepuff's coat and tucked it into one arm, and he grabbed the straws of the broom brush with his free hand. The Bergen child swept nonexistent dust._

 _Chef stomped into the kitchen. "Did you escort our guest out?"_

" _Yes, Chef." The child Bergen nodded. "I took him to the tower, like you said. He flew off."_

" _Flew? You dolt, he couldn't have flown!" Chef huffed._

" _Well, he—"_

" _Oh forget it." Chef turned and marched out of the room. The Bergen girl waited until she couldn't hear Chef's footsteps, and she held out her hand for Peppy to climb on. She crawled onto a counter and up to a window._

" _Go!" the girl urged, pushing the window open. "Get out of here! Go home!"_

" _Wait!" Peppy paused as he started out the window. "Did you see another troll in here? Purple skin? Green hair? Wearing this?" He held up Rosiepuff's coat._

" _She's gone." The girl said. "She's gone, okay? You won't find her here." She truly looked upset about it. "You have to go home. Hurry!" She shut the window and hopped down before Chef could find her._

 _Peppy saw a gutter attached to the windowsill. He hugged Rosiepuff's coat tightly to his chest as he jumped into the gutter. He slid all the way down to the main street of Bergen Town. He hid in an alleyway and took a moment to catch his breath. He looked down to the coat in his arms, and tears sprung up in his eyes. He hugged the coat to his chest again, leaning against the wall and sliding to the ground. The king struggled to control his breathing and keep his sobs quiet. He thought for sure he would make it. This wasn't fair. Why was she taken? And why outside of Trollstice?_

" _I'm so sorry, Rosiepuff…" Peppy whispered. "I wasn't fast enough. I should've been there."_

 _There was nothing more he could do. He lost yet another friend to the Bergens. The thought started to make him angry. Now he was even more determined to free his people from this horrible life. If it was the last thing he did, he was going to lead his people to freedom._

 _First, he had to get home. He had some bad news to deliver._

* * *

Branch was silent as Peppy finished the story. He hugged his grandmother's coat, desperately holding back his tears. Peppy sighed heavily. "Your grandmother was such a dear friend to me, Branch. It made me _livid_ to know she was taken from you. I thought I could bring her back. But I was too late."

Branch shook his head slowly. "You went after her. That was really brave. Thank you."

Peppy shrugged halfheartedly. "I was going to give that to you sooner. But, to tell you the truth, I wanted to keep it for myself. To remember her by. You already turned grey, and I was afraid you would sink even lower. Heaven's sake, Branch, I thought you were going to kill yourself."

"If I had to be honest, that crossed my mind once or twice." Branch admitted.

"I should've done more for you, Branch." Peppy said. "You're my godson. You were family to me, and now you really are part of my family by marrying my daughter. I never should've let you stay so isolated."

"That was a choice I made for myself." Branch said. "And it didn't stop me from protecting the trolls." He smiled at Peppy. "You did more for me than anyone else in the village simply by being there. You never gave up on me and you treated me like I wasn't even grey. That was all I needed to keep going."

Peppy smiled back. He cleared his throat. "Well, I think it's time you had that back. She was your grandmother, after all, and I have plenty of memories and scrapbooks to remember her by."

Branch's smile grew, even when his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He hugged his godfather, who returned the embrace. For a moment, Peppy felt like he held the young boy he knew so well. He had to remind himself that Branch was no longer a boy. He had grown into a strong young man of a troll, and he regained his happiness through Poppy.

"Thank you." Branch said with a shuddering sigh.

Peppy chuckled. "I'm always going to be there for you, Branch. I promise."

* * *

 **A/N: How's the first chapter? It's a little sad, but the others will be happier! A few notes:**

 **The idea to make Creek Cybil's adoptive son was originally inspired by what I saw in Turtle Babe's stories "Find Me – I'm Lost" and "A Time to Heal," where Creek was her apprentice.**

 **Also, Peppy discovering Rosiepuff's coat was inspired from a similar scene from Callisto Altair's story "Dreams of Disaster."**

 **I take inspiration from what I read, but I always give credit where it is due! Until next time! TTFN!**


	2. Remembering A Namesake

**A/N: Well, I got a good reception so far! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 **NerdAlert8910 – I saw "Poppy's Mission"! I liked it. And I figured that, as a child, Poppy would want everyone to be happy, so seeing Branch grey would bother her.**

 **Jpbake – I hope you feel better soon! Here's another chapter to help you pass the time.**

 **I will put in a warning here that there is some implied sexuality in this chapter. Very light, nothing graphic. Also some alcohol.**

 **Also, sorry for taking a while for this next chapter. We have a wildfire a little close to home, and I had to help out my family.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two – Remembering a Namesake**

"A five, six, seven, eight!"

On Poppy's cue, the music started up. It was morning song time, which means at least ninety percent of the trolls were awake and ready to warm up with a song and a dance. Some of the trolls slept in for whatever reason, knowing there would be plenty of other opportunities to sing and dance and play. Nothing made Poppy happier than when Branch would join them. Even the Bergens would dance along.

Branch and Poppy danced together, and the other trolls joined in. Branch melted into his role as king rather nicely, and he learned to fully embrace his happiness. Over time, Poppy learned how to distinguish what was just part of Branch's personality and what was his old grey habits popping up now and then. Right now, though, she just focused on dancing in sync with her beloved. Poppy never knew Branch was such a good dancer until he got his colors back. Right now, they did something of a pop version of a tango, twisting and twirling and swinging each other this way and that. Every now and then in the song, Branch would sneak a peck on the cheek and Poppy would respond with a kittenish hip bump.

The song finished, and the trolls celebrated briefly before going about their day. Poppy fell into Branch's arms, and he kissed her cheek.

"Look at that, Branch." Poppy sighed. "So many happy faces."

"And yet I see one happy face is missing." Branch mused. He caught Poppy whistling innocently. "Poppy, where's our daughter?"

"You know how Rosie is, Branch." Poppy laughed. "She goes wherever the music takes her."

"I just wish it wouldn't take her so far from home." Branch sighed. "She knows how worried I get when she wanders into the forest."

"You taught her everything she needs to know about the forest, Branch." Poppy reassured her husband. "She'll be fine. Besides, Bliss is always with her. The two of them could be sisters."

"Yeah." Branch agreed. "If anyone had to be with Rosie, I'm glad it's Bliss."

* * *

In the forest, miles away from Bergen Town and the Troll Tree, a couple wingdingle birds darted through the trees and performed feats of aerobatics as they flew. A troll girl rode each of the birds, whooping and laughing in their glee.

Rosie was the perfect combination of her parents. From Poppy, she got an upbeat attitude, everlasting optimism, unlimited energy, and killer dance moves. From Branch, she received bravery, strength, resourcefulness, and the voice of an angel. Rosie looked identical to Branch's grandmother, who rightfully became the princess's namesake. Rosie's eyes were two different colors: one was pink, and the other icy blue. Her outfit was also a blend of her parents' styles: a blue sundress the same color as her mother's and a leafy green vest identical to her father's. In honor of her Uncle Cooper, she also wore a green hat like his.

Bliss had been Rosie's best friend since they were toddlers. When she was only a baby, Bliss's parents were killed during a violent storm that took down a few trees and caused much damage to Bergen Town. Satin and Chenille took her in and became Bliss's surrogate mothers. Bliss had periwinkle blue skin like her mother, but she had her father's spring green hair and dark green eyes. As Satin and Chenille's adoptive daughter, she always dressed the most fashionably. Usually, this meant wearing a skirt in a similar style as the twins' outfits, paired with a sparkly crop top that had off-the-shoulder sleeves. Following her mothers, Bliss also had a few tattoos and several piercings in her ears. She even had a gem stud in her belly button like Suki. She normally pulled her hair into a ponytail.

The two friends spent many of their days out in the forest. Rosie was adored by the trolls and Bergens alike. While the currently fourteen-year-old princess loved to spend time with them, Rosie loved being in the forest where she could run and feel free. She often felt she could think better out in the woods. Bliss was always by her side. Though a year younger than Rosie, she always made it her mission to look out for her friend. Bliss had her flaws—mild kleptomania (food was often the target) and a habit of sneaking around like a ninja, mainly—but she was devoted to Rosie and valued her loyalty to the princess over most everything else.

Rosie landed her wingdingle on a tree, and she stared out to the horizon. She inhaled deeply, the fresh forest air filling her lungs. "This is the life, eh Bliss?"

Bliss landed her steed next to Rosie. "You bet. But you know we missed the morning song."

"Then let's sing while we fly!" Rosie suggested. She spurred her steed to fly again. Bliss laughed as she followed Rosie's example. It didn't take long for a song to begin between them.

Rosie and Bliss steered their birds up through the branches of the trees, and then they soared above the treetops. All of Branch's training allowed Rosie to really connect with the forest. For reasons nobody could explain—not even Rosie—the princess had a connection to the animals of the forest. Even the larger animals like the wingdingle birds, who would easily harm a troll even if they didn't eat them, would nuzzle Rosie and be oh so gentle with her. This connection Rosie had with animals and the way she communicated with them allowed her and Bliss to see the forest in a whole new light.

"Woah!" Rosie gasped when her wingdingle reared back with a squawk. Bliss's bird steed did the same. The two birds continued to screech fearfully, hovering in place.

"What's going on?" Bliss asked, gripping the bird's feathers tightly.

"Easy, girl!" Rosie soothed her steed. "Easy now. It's okay." With her calm words and soft touch, Rosie could silence the birds' squawks and encourage them to hover more smoothly.

"What was that all about?" Bliss asked.

"Animals sense things easier than we do." Rosie explained. "These guys sense danger and they're afraid."

"Danger?" Bliss scanned the area. "Is there a predator nearby that we don't know about?"

Rosie carefully looked around. She didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary. She only saw trees as far as she could see. Although, she did see some rather dark-looking trees to her right. No matter what it was, the birds were scared; and if Rosie and Bliss were smart, they would listen and change their course.

"Come on." Rosie encouraged. "We should head back. My parents and I have a lunch date with King Gristle and Queen Bridget anyway."

"Yeah, these birds are freaking me out." Bliss agreed. She and Rosie turned their birds around and started flying back towards Bergen Town. Rosie looked back once. The dark trees faded away and everything appeared normal and green again.

 _Why did they stop at those trees?_ Rosie wondered.

"Rosie!" Bliss's voice made Rosie jump. "Keep your eyes ahead before your bird runs into a tree!"

"I got it!" Rosie called back. She spurred her bird to fly faster.

* * *

Rosie and Bliss made it back in record time, and Rosie hurried off to meet with her parents. She readjusted her hat and smoothed out her dress on the way to her pod home.

"Good afternoon, Rosebud!" Peppy greeted.

"Hey Grandad!" Rosie skidded to a halt. "Coming to lunch with me, Mom, and Dad?"

"Actually, I have some things to discuss with the farmers." Peppy said. "But your parents are already on their way to the castle."

"Oh shoot!" Rosie face-palmed. "I better go catch up with them." She kissed her grandfather's cheek before skipping off. She managed to catch up with her parents as they reached the stairs to the castle. Gristle had installed a series of tiny trampolines on one of the railings of the stairs, making it easier (and much more fun) for troll visitors to reach his home.

Poppy did a somersault before landing on her feet at the top of the stairs. Branch did a few flips and landed in a handstand before bending to stand again.

"Showoff." Poppy rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Cannonball!" Rosie shouted from above. Branch held out his arms, and his teenage daughter landed in them. "Nice catch, Dad." Rosie said.

Poppy smoothed out her daughter's dress and hair, and she whipped her hair up to ring the bell next to the door. Chad and Todd answered the door.

"Welcome!" Chad greeted warmly. "King Gristle, Queen Bridget, and Prince Randy are waiting in the dining room." Todd knelt down and let the royal troll family to jump up onto his palm. He and Chad escorted the little royals to the dining room. Despite maturing somewhat since marrying Bridget, Gristle still liked to dress in his too-small striped shirt and sandals. Bridget wore a fancier, cleaner version of her pink dress; and she only wore an apron when she visited the kitchen to help the new royal chef bake sweets. A few weeks ago, Bridget gave birth to a beautiful baby boy they named Randy. He had his mother's grey skin and his father's green hair and reddish brown eyes. He stayed in his diaper most of the time.

"Glad you could make it!" Gristle said as Todd delivered the trolls to the table. On the tabletop sat some troll-sized furniture, dishware, and cutlery. Most of it came from a dollhouse Bridget owned.

"Thank you for having us, Gristle." Poppy said as she, her husband, and daughter took their places. "Always a pleasure."

"It's a joy to have you in our home." Bridget said.

"Well at least the food is good." Branch said as they started eating.

"Thanks to my lovely wife." Gristle said proudly. "All that time spent in the kitchen, and she picked up a few things."

"Dad's been helping me learn to cook too." Rosie said. "It's really fun. I've already mastered sweets, and now he finally trusts me to make actual meals."

"Why now? And not when you're younger?" Gristle asked.

"He thinks I'm going to cut my own head off with a knife." Rosie raised her eyebrow at her father.

"Better safe than sorry." Branch shrugged.

"I really can't wait for Randy to be old enough to bake." Rosie said. "He's looking well."

"It's a good day today." Bridget rubbed her baby's belly when he began fussing over the lack of attention towards him.

"I was hoping we could talk to some of your troll healers and doctors about supplements we can give him." Gristle said.

"Of course." Poppy nodded.

"We will have to make sure it's good for him first." Branch said. "Don't want to make him sicker."

"When do you think I can babysit him?" Rosie asked.

"When you're both a little older." Bridget said. "But definitely when he's much healthier."

Rosie nodded in satisfaction, and she continued eating. She had to remember that Randy stayed confined to his room most of the time. He never came out of the palace at all, despite being loved by all. He had been born quite sickly, which means he didn't have the strength of a normal Bergen baby his age. Bridget feared that, if he left the palace too much, he'd get even sicker. Rosie often liked to visit the baby to play with him, taking his mind off his sickness. She would play games with him and tell him stories and sing him songs. Anything to make him laugh or smile, even when he wasn't strong enough to move.

That night, after returning from lunch and having a picnic dinner together as a family, Rosie skipped off to spend the night at Bliss's home. Poppy and Branch returned to their own pod home. They had their own royal pod that was really a combination of both their old pod homes. Peppy lived in his own pod a few branches away from the royal home.

Poppy sighed tiredly, flopping down on the couch. "Well today was exciting."

"Yeah." Branch agreed. His muscles felt a bit rubbery. "I'm glad we kept our lunch date with Gristle, Bridget, and Randy. Between the kitchen fire at Pan's place and the runaway cart that almost smashed the crop fields, I think this was one of our busier days."

"You know what would make it better?" Poppy said with a loopy grin.

"Tea?" Branch guessed. He already began to think about what kind he wanted to make.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Ringo Noir." Poppy corrected.

Branch groaned. "Come on, Poppy. Not tonight."

"Why not?" Poppy shrugged. "You love it and you know it."

"And the last time I let you loose with a bottle of that stuff, you ended up singing drunken karaoke for two hours straight." Branch reminded her. "Remember? That was on one of our date nights and you passed out on my couch."

"Oh yeah." Poppy said distractedly. "But I won't go crazy this time. And you'll be drinking with me. Please?"

Branch thought about it. Truthfully, a bit of alcohol sounded nice. Something to give him a bit of a buzz, which would—oddly enough—help him sleep. "Fine. But I'm in charge of pouring." He departed into the kitchen and pulled down an already opened and mostly full bottle of the Ringo Noir. The alcoholic drink was like a wine, except it was made from apples. The medium-level alcohol content hid well behind the strong, sweet taste of the apples, making this a rather potent drink. Branch uncorked the bottle and pulled down two glasses for him and Poppy. He pulled his mother's necklace out from under his vest and gave it a light kiss. "Goodnight, Mom. May not get to say this before the Noir knocks me out, so let me just say I hope you're doing well, and I love you."

"Branch?" Poppy called from the living room. "Who are you talking to in there?"

"Just talking to myself." Branch replied as he tucked the pendant away. He picked up the bottle and glasses and returned to Poppy. He poured them each a glass of the Noir.

"Uh, Branch?" Poppy piped up. She looked worried. "I….I just could've sworn…..I mean…..I thought you were talking to…..your mom….."

Branch froze, and he sighed as he set the bottle down. "It's nothing to worry about, Poppy."

Poppy nodded slowly. "You remember your mom much?"

Branch shrugged. "Not really. Both of my parents died when I was a baby." He didn't like to talk about the family he lost. Even after all these years, and now that he had a beautiful daughter to love. But when he was alone with Poppy, he found he could be more open about the pain of his past. It was something Poppy worked on constantly since they became an item: getting Branch used to being open to her regarding his pain.

"You must have something to remember them by." Poppy said. "A picture? Anything?"

"I have a few pictures my grandma took." Branch said. "My dad wrote a lot of poetry. I still have one of his diaries, and it's full of his poems. A lot of them were for my mom." Branch absent-mindedly patted his vest, where his mother's pendant lay hidden. "What about you? Remember your mom?"

"Nah." Poppy shook her head. "She was a Trollstice Troll, and I wasn't even a year old when she was taken. But I've got plenty of scrapbooks that Dad made, and she even left me some of her jewelry." She blinked a few times, and then raised her glass. "To mothers, still guiding us no matter where we go."

Branch grinned. Poppy always knew what to say to make someone smile again. He raised his glass. "To mothers." He clinked his glass against Poppy's. They each took a drink. Poppy wanted to press further, yet she also didn't want to cause Branch more pain.

The conversation continued between the two of them, talking about their mothers based solely on what they heard from their father and grandmother. Branch didn't remember his parents, making it easier to talk about them. But he still couldn't talk about his grandmother without tearing up.

They continued to talk and sip their drinks until the cups were empty.

"Man this stuff is good!" Poppy giggled. She reached for the bottle.

Branch gently grabbed her wrist. "Poppy." He intoned with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on, Branch!" Poppy scoffed. "I'll be fine. One more drink."

"Well….." Branch finally gave in. "Fine. Just one more."

"We'll be fine, Branch." Poppy assured. "What is the worst that can happen?"

Branch rolled his eyes. He topped off his own cup of Ringo Noir. Between the two of them, Branch could hold his liquor better than Poppy. So if Poppy lost control, Branch could put her to bed before she went totally drunk-crazy. He continued to drink like Poppy did while they yapped the night away. At one point, he shut his eyes meditatively. He usually did this to focus more on what someone said so that what he saw didn't distract him.

When he opened his eyes again, Branch found himself in his and Poppy's bedroom instead of in the living room. His head pounded a little. His hair lay all tangled and crazy-like. He yawned and stretched. The blanket lay tangled around his body, wrapping him like a burrito. Poppy's body was pressed tightly against his, the both of them cocooned in the blanket. Branch tried to pull the blanket off, but suddenly froze.

They were naked.

"Uh…Poppy?" Branch shook his wife awake. "Poppy!"

Poppy snorted as she woke up. "Huh?" She discovered herself nose-to-nose with Branch. She looked down to their cocoon blanket wrapped snugly around them. She peered inside the blanket. When she looked up, her face was dark red. "Uh, Branch?"

"Did we….?"

"It would seem that way."

"Huh. How much did we drink last night?"

"No idea. But it was fun at least."

"Yeah. I don't remember a lot, but I remember it was fun."

"You don't think I'll get….."

"No! Of course not. What are the odds you'll get pregnant from this?"

* * *

 _Three weeks later:_

"You're going to be a sister."

Rosie stared at her mother, her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. "I'm what?"

Poppy smiled broadly, patting her stomach. "We're going to be welcoming a new addition to the family in about eight months."

Rosie gasped, and then squealed excitedly. She hugged her mother as tight as she could. "I'm going to be a sister! That's so great!"

"I'm so glad you're happy, little Rosie." Poppy kissed her daughter's head. "Daddy and I were afraid you'd be upset or nervous."

"No way!" Rosie shook her head. "I always wanted a little brother or sister! Did you and Dad plan on having another kid?"

"Well, not really." Poppy admitted. "I mean, we thought about having another kid after you, but we sort of got caught up raising you and watching over the kingdom. This is a pleasant surprise for all of us. I may need your help around here after the baby's born."

"You can count on me, Mom!" Rosie saluted to her mother. "Does Dad know?"

"Of course he does." Poppy laughed.

"Then where is he?" Rosie laughed too. "I haven't seen him all day!"

Poppy rubbed the back of her head. "He's….out running an errand. You'll see him tomorrow."

"Okay." Rosie shrugged. "I'm going to tell Bliss!"

"Yes, please do!" Poppy encouraged. "Spread the word!"

Rosie was already out the door, whooping and laughing and cheering, "I'm going to be a sister!" Soon after she left, Poppy heard a knock on the door and she skipped over to answer it.

"Hey Dad!" Poppy greeted.

"Well if it isn't my lovely daughter, pregnant again!" Peppy laughed. He pulled Poppy into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you and Branch, Poppy. This is wonderful."

"We had sort of planned this a while back." Poppy shrugged, ushering her father into the pod. "Guess the timing was never good until now."

"How did Rosie take the news?" Peppy asked.

"Oh she's thrilled." Poppy said. "And this is going to be good for her. By learning to take care of her sibling, she'll better learn how to take care of the other trolls when she's queen."

"Can't delay that training." Peppy mused in agreement. He could remember the day he decided Poppy would be Official Storyteller to the children, in order to teach her how to connect with her people. "Branch is excited, I assume?"

"Of course." Poppy nodded. She stared at the ground. "It's just that today…well….."

Peppy hugged his daughter again. "I know, Poppy. I know."

* * *

After Rosie announced to Bliss the exciting news, she started dancing and singing with glee. She and Bliss spent the rest of the day thinking of all the things Rosie would do with her new baby sibling. They brainstormed names, drew up plans for clothes and blankets, and made a list of all the essential toys and books the baby would need.

As night fell over the land, Rosie still couldn't stop bouncing with joy. "I can't believe I'm going to be a sister! This is so cool!"

"I'm really happy for you, Rosie." Bliss yawned. "Well, I better get home. I bet my moms are already planning little outfits for the baby. I'll bring the plans by tomorrow and we can look them over."

"Sounds great." Rosie said. "Goodnight!" She waved as Bliss jogged home. She resumed her skip back to her own home, ready to go to sleep and dream of her baby brother or sister.

Something caught her eye, and she paused. Rosie looked out to a pod a short distance away. This pod was purple in color, with green flowery designs all over it. It hung a ways away from the other pods, very solitary and rather lonesome. Rosie knew this was an old pod that her father owned, and he and Poppy forbade anyone from going in. Apparently it was too dangerous.

Rosie saw a light in one of the windows.

 _Who would be in there?_ Rosie wondered, creeping closer to the pod. _More importantly, who would dare disobey Dad's orders?_ Rosie didn't have an answer, but she wouldn't stand for someone trespassing. She tiptoed nearer to the window, and she peered inside to get an idea of who was breaking and entering. Already, she planned out the hair fu moves she would use on the intruder.

The interior of the pod surprised Rosie, as did the identity of the "intruder." Her father sat on a comfy-looking chair in the corner. What looked like a magenta knit blanket with pink hearts lay over his legs. The living room had a round rug on the floor that was all the colors of the rainbow. A series of picture frames lined the mantle on the fireplace which looked like it hadn't been lit in decades. There was a soft sofa and a blanket draped over the back, covered in dust. Branch flipped through a scrapbook. His cheeks were tearstained, and his coloring seemed faded.

Biting her lower lip, Rosie tried the door. It was unlocked. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Branch perked up at the sound. "Rosie?"

"Hey Dad." Rosie waved a little. "What are you doing in here?"

Branch shrugged. "Nothing really." He hoped Rosie would just leave. He wanted to be alone. Except he knew her curiosity would entice her to pry.

Yep, here she comes. Rosie slowly stepped across the room and stood next to her father. She now saw that the blanket in his lap was actually a shawl or coat of some sort, sleeveless and worn out from age. Rosie looked to the scrapbook and saw pictures of a younger version of her father. Also in the photos was an elderly troll who looked remarkably like her.

"Who's that?" Rosie asked, pointing to her older twin.

Branch swallowed. "That's…that's my grandma…"

"She looks like me." Rosie murmured.

"Hence your name, baby girl." Branch chuckled softly. "Her full name was Rosiepuff."

Rosie stared at the image of her namesake. "What was she like?"

"Brave, kind, patient, and strong." Branch said, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "She was the sweetest troll you'd ever meet; but if you got on her bad side, she'd knock your lights out. You should've seen how protective she got of me whenever a Bergen even _looked_ at us." He inhaled slowly, and let out a shuddering exhale. "She was the only family I ever knew."

"What happened to your parents?" Rosie asked.

"Died. When I was a baby." Branch's eyes filled with tears again.

Rosie looked back to Rosiepuff's picture. "Was she a Trollstice Troll too?"

Branch cleared his throat. "Uh, no. She was just…taken…..that evil Bergen Chef just took her away one day and I never saw her again." He sighed heavily. "Today's the anniversary of that day. That day when my entire world crumbled to pieces." He wiped his eyes dry. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I don't want to upset you with these things."

"No, it's okay." Rosie hugged him. "I wish I could help. I hate seeing you so sad, Dad."

Branch kissed his daughter's head. "It's all right. I do this every year. This was her home, after all. When I'm in here, I feel like everything is the way it was when I was a boy."

Rosie looked around. She could already visualize her father as a little kid, playing on the rug or reading stories with his grandmother. Rosie stared at Branch, unable to remember when she saw him so upset. His colors definitely looked faded now, and it scared Rosie.

She thought for a moment. "Hey Dad? If I brought Grandma back, would it make you happy again?"

Branch chuckled softly. He hugged Rosie again. "Don't worry about it, Rosie. It's not something you need to be concerned about."

"But if I did bring her back." Rosie pressed. "If I brought her home and back to you, would it make you happy?"

Branch sighed through his nose. "Yes. But it's impossible. Unless you can magically bring my grandma back from the dead. So don't worry about it." He gave her another tight squeeze. "All right, it's way past your bedtime. Off you go."

Rosie kissed her father's cheek and left him to his mourning. She looked back once, and then hurried home.

 _I know what I need to do._ Rosie thought. _I have to make him happy again._

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you guys are noticing some of the references to previous stories! Also, fun fact! "Ringo" means "apple" in Japanese, hence the name of the apple wine mentioned in this chapter!**


	3. One Step at a Time

**A/N: Behold! A new chapter a bit earlier than planned! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Three – A Quest Begins**

"You want to do what?!" Bliss asked. She accidentally stabbed her finger with her sewing needle and yelped in pain. She sucked her finger, setting aside the dress she worked on.

"I'm going to find my great-grandma, Rosiepuff." Rosie repeated. "When I do, my dad will be happy again."

"I think he's pretty happy already, Rosie." Bliss said. "He has his colors, doesn't he?"

"But he's so sad whenever he thinks of her." Rosie protested. "She was the only family he ever knew, and he lost her. I want to bring her back."

Bliss was glad her mothers were out of the house so she and Rosie could talk in private about this. "Rosie, Grandma Rosiepuff was killed over three decades ago."

"We don't know she was killed." Rosie corrected. "My dad said she was taken. 'Taken,' not 'killed.' That means she could be alive somewhere! Maybe she escaped the Bergen who took her. She might've made it to the forest and just never found the other trolls because they went in another direction."

"Okay, let's say you're right." Bliss said. "That doesn't mean she's alive now. She would have to be at least eighty years old, maybe even a hundred. I know trolls can live for a long time, but I'm not sure how well she would've survived all alone. You think you're going to find some little old lady troll wandering the forest?"

"Maybe." Rosie shrugged. "Now you certainly don't have to help me, but it would be great to have some assistance with this."

Bliss sighed. She tapped her lip in thought. "Rosie, how can you possibly think your great-grandmother is still alive?"

Rosie grinned. "I don't think she's alive. I _hope_ she's alive, and that's enough."

Bliss stared at her friend, and then she smiled too. "All right. What's our first step?"

"Well, I just had a hearty breakfast." Rosie said. "Let's head to King Gristle Jr.'s castle."

Bliss followed Rosie out of the pod and towards said castle. "Because Chef would've taken Rosiepuff right to the kitchen, no matter what her reason for taking her in the first place."

"Yep." Rosie nodded. "That's where we'll look for clues." Like all the troll children, her age and even younger, Rosie knew the story of Chef and how she nearly destroyed the trolls to become Queen of the Bergens. Being the royal chef, she would be the only one authorized to take trolls out of the Troll Tree. Naturally, she would take the trolls she caught back to the kitchen.

Todd and Chad greeted the girls when they arrived. They were more than willing to help them in their investigation, and the four of them sat at a table in the kitchen to talk.

"Oh, Chef wouldn't have taken a troll unless it was for Trollstice." Chad assured.

"But my dad is positive she was taken months after Trollstice happened." Rosie insisted. "He wouldn't have been singing like he did if it were Trollstice. Like any other troll during that time, he and Grandma would be hiding."

"You're sure Chef didn't take trolls to practice new recipes?" Bliss asked.

"Chef sometimes did that, but only during Trollstice." Todd insisted. "She would set aside a troll or two for practicing new recipes. She wouldn't dare risk taking a troll outside of Trollstice."

"Why not?" Rosie asked.

"King Gristle Sr., may he rest in peace, had _very_ strict laws regarding the trolls." Chad explained. "Trolls could _only_ be used for the Trollstice feast, and nothing else. It was a crime to steal trolls, and it came with a harsh punishment. Even though Chef was the Keeper of the Trolls, she wouldn't be allowed to just take trolls whenever she wanted."

"If she had taken a troll outside of Trollstice, and the king found out about it, she would face not only the loss of her job but she would be imprisoned and maybe even executed." Todd said.

"What could be worth the risk?" Bliss wondered.

"Something so important or valuable, it would make it worthwhile to take a troll illegally." Rosie took a look around the kitchen. "We don't know the reason yet, but we can figure that out later. Let's walk through the scene. Step One: Chef takes Rosiepuff and brings her back into the kitchen."

"During Trollstice, Chef would've put the trolls in a cage or a pot until it was time to…..well, you know." Chad said. It was still a little awkward to go into details about how the Bergens used to gather the trolls like cattle and cook them for dinner.

Rosie wandered around the table as she visualized the scene. "Chef comes in with Grandma, throws her into a cage. And then what? What does Chef do? Prepare to make a meal? Would she leave the kitchen?"

"I don't suppose you can think of what happened that day?" Bliss asked Chad and Todd.

The two Bergens thought about it. "Let's see…..a few months after Trollstice…" Cad murmured.

"It's been a long time." Todd said. "And Chef was rather solitary."

"We don't know what Chef did, but we can educationally guess that she was distracted long enough for Grandma to pick the lock and escape." Rosie said. "After I talked to my dad, I asked Grandpa Peppy if he remembered anything from that day. He told me he found Grandma's old coat caught on a nail. That means she escaped."

"Her coat was caught on her way out, and she had to abandon it to run." Bliss said. "But where?"

"Chef most likely wouldn't have left the troll unattended." Chad said.

Rosie went to the floor, and she searched under the tables and counters. She found an old nail sticking out of a table leg, where someone sloppily tried to fix a split table leg with a single nail. Rosie scanned the area, and she gasped. "Ah ha! There!" She jogged over to a drain grate. "This isn't too far away from the nail where she was caught. If she couldn't make it out the door or the window with Chef in the kitchen, then Grandma could've slipped in through here."

"Where do those pipes lead?" Bliss asked.

"The sewers under Bergen Town." Todd said. "It all empties out into a swamp down the mountain. Oddly enough, the swamp thrives on the water and waste that comes from the sewers."

"So if Grandma exited out that way, she would've gone straight into the forest!" Rosie said. "And maybe she tried to find a way back to the Troll Tree."

"Or she went to hide in the forest." Bliss said. "If the rest of the trolls escaped by the next Trollstice, maybe Rosiepuff heard of the escape and went looking for them."

"Let's go to the swamp." Rosie said. "We'll find a logical path from there."

"Good luck!" Chad and Todd waved as the girls left.

* * *

"Ew." Bliss grimaced in disgust.

"Malrock Swamp." Rosie sighed. "Not the prettiest place in the forest, but you have to admire the plants that manage to survive in these conditions."

Rosie was right. Malrock Swamp had its own brand of beauty. Spider webs and animal nests littered the exposed roots of the trees. Moss hung on old tree stumps and rested on the surface of the water. Bright lavender-colored flowers popped up from the swamp water, and clusters of white flowers dotted the soil around the water.

Bliss looked up to Bergen Town, sitting on the top of the short mountain above them. "It's a pretty far drop if your great-grandma did escape through the sewer pipes. But she obviously could've used her hair to swing herself to safety. So where would she go next?"

Rosie looked around. "I think that way." She pointed towards the forest that led away from the swamp and went right by Bergen Town. "The swamp is full of creatures that could be dangerous, and she obviously didn't want to go back to Bergen Town. So she would go this way. To find someplace safe to hide."

"That doesn't really narrow down our search much." Bliss noted.

"We should start looking anyway." Rosie said. "Let's just start walking, and we'll decide which way to go based on what we see." She started walking, Bliss close behind. "Naturally, she would look for the path that had less dangers. So we'll follow that same path."

"Until when?" Bliss asked.

"Until we find her, or another clue." Rosie said. "How long could that take?"

 _FOUR HOURS LATER_

"Ugh, how much longer is this going to take?" Rosie groaned.

Bliss groaned too. "Seriously, how far could that little old lady get? Uh, no offense."

"Well, she was old, but Dad said she was pretty strong for her age. Keep in mind: she was a nanny to a lot of trolls, and spent quite a bit of time chasing after rambunctious babies." Rosie shrugged. She and Bliss were covered in dirt and sweat, and their hair was disheveled.

"Let's take a minute to rest." Bliss suggested. Rosie agreed, and the two of them stopped at the edge of a stream to take a drink and freshen up.

"You think Grandma would've followed the stream?" Rosie asked.

"Maybe." Bliss said. "But the water stretches for miles."

"We'll search until we find her." Rosie said with determination in her tone.

Bliss eyed her friend for a moment. "Rosie, why do you want to find your dad's grandma?"

"I told you: to make my dad happy." Rosie answered.

"Yeah, but I think there's more to it." Bliss said. "I don't think you just want to make your dad happy. There's an ulterior motive here."

Rosie raised an eyebrow. "Perceptive, aren't we?" She rolled her eyes with a grin. "Okay, so there is another reason for doing this. Mom's been training me to be Queen. She tells me that a good queen must care for her people and keep everyone as happy as possible. By taking care of my baby brother or sister, I will show my parents that I know how to care for my people. By finding my great-grandma and bringing her home and making my dad happy, I can show my parents that I know how to keep my people happy. I will show them that I can keep the peace and happiness in the Troll and Bergen Kingdoms."

"Now that sounds more like it." Bliss said. "You know you don't have to prove it, Rosie. You're going to be a great queen."

"I don't know." Rosie shrugged. "There are some kids at school who doubt me. What if there are other trolls who worry about me being their queen?"

"You will prove yourself in time." Bliss said. "I know you must want to meet your great-grandma, but have you considered that it's pretty impossible?"

"I've considered it." Rosie nodded. "And I'm willing to try anyway. For my dad."

Bliss stared at her friend. "You're afraid, Rosie. Why?"

"Come on, Bliss. Don't be dumb." Rosie sighed. "Sorry, that was mean. But be serious. Everyone knows who my dad used to be. He was Branch the Grey Troll, always grumpy and paranoid and ruin-er of parties. He was grey longer than any other troll in our history. And have you forgotten about the other reason I wear this hat?" She took off her hat and parted her green locks to show a streak of black, hidden in her hair. She put her hat back on her head. "When I saw Dad mourning for Grandma, his colors looked faded. It's like he starts to turn grey again every time he thinks of the family he lost. If I can bring my dad his grandmother back, then I can guarantee he'll never turn grey again. That's something I can do for the rest of the kingdom as queen."

Bliss finally smiled, and she patted Rosie's shoulder. "You're going to do amazing things, Rosie. I know it." Rosie started to smile again too. Bliss gestured for them to keep going, and they continued their walk/search in the forest.

After establishing a beat in their walk, Rosie began to sing. She sang of her dreams, so close yet so far from her reach. As Rosie continued her song, her and Bliss's trek moved from the ground to the branches of the trees. Their walk began to morph into a dance that helped them move through the forest. Rosie continued to sing of the journey ahead, and how she would take it one step at a time.

Bliss took up the next verse to sing for her best friend. She had been Rosie's friend since they were toddlers. They spent so much time together that, naturally, Bliss knew Rosie better than most other trolls. Besides Brach, Poppy, and Peppy, Bliss understood Rosie in ways that no one else could. Rosie trusted Bliss the best with the secrets she couldn't even tell her family.

So engrossed in their song, Rosie and Bliss temporarily forgot about the actual searching part of their adventure. They traveled across the treetops and through the forest by dancing rather than actual walking. Now their song had become a duet. When it came to the higher, little-more-drawn-out notes, Bliss let Rosie take those. Like her father, she had the voice of an angel, and Bliss enjoyed hearing the princess sing her heart out.

Rosie and Bliss giggled as they finished their song, still moving with a beat in their feet and a skip in their step.

Then, Rosie paused. She felt something strange. Like a voice called out to her in a whispering tone. Her eyes wandered the forest around her. Oddly enough, the forest seemed to split perfectly: one side was well-lit and beautiful, the other side was shadowy and rather spooky-looking. Rosie stared down a path that led right into the spookier part of the forest. The trees looked darker, either because the bark was dark or little light could shine through the thick foliage of the treetops. There were no flowers to be seen, not even weeds. Some of the trees looked half-dead. It seemed no life at all lived in that part of the forest.

 _What's that feeling?_ Rosie wondered, staring at the darkened trees. _What's down there?_ For some reason, she had this overwhelming urge to go into that part of the forest. It felt like someone called out to her.

There it was again!

"Hello?" Rosie called. She took a few steps closer to follow the voice.

Suddenly, a length of green hair wrapped around Rosie's stomach, and the hair yanked her off her feet and pulled her away from the dark forest.

"Rosie!" Bliss gasped as she pulled her friend close. "Are you insane?"

"What?" Rosie shrugged innocently. "Why'd you pull me back?"

"Don't you know what that is?" Bliss demanded.

"A dark and spooky part of the forest?" Rosie asked.

Bliss face-palmed. "Rose, that was the Western Woods."

Rosie stared at the darkened part of the forest. " _That's_ the Western Woods? The part of the forest my dad told me about?"

"Yes." Bliss said. "Can't you tell?"

Rosie certainly could now. She could also remember how her father told her the Western Woods was a part of the forest that was forbidden because of its dangers. The Western Woods were full of poisonous plants and venomous animals. Even if an animal wasn't venomous, they were still dangerous in some way. Branch always warned her to stay away.

"Why were you going that way anyway?" Bliss asked.

"I don't know." Rosie admitted. "I just felt this urge to go down there. I can't explain it."

"I can." Bliss said sassily. "You're a suicidal maniac who loves danger. Come on. We should start heading back to the village. It's going to be dusk by the time we get back."

Rosie followed Bliss, but she kept looking back towards the Western Woods. "I could've sworn I heard someone calling for me."

"That's just your imagination." Bliss assured. "Or a creature trying to lure you into a trap so it can eat you."

"But what if someone needs our help?" Rosie protested.

"Rosie, that's the Western Woods. Nobody goes in and escapes alive. Who would be down there? And how would we be able to help?" Bliss demanded.

Rosie glanced back again. "There's just this feeling in my gut…"

Bliss looked back too, but still pulled Rosie along. "We'll keep searching tomorrow. But we need a new strategy if we're going to find Grandma Rosiepuff."

"Agreed." Rosie said. "We'll try again tomorrow." She and Bliss continued walking, even though Rosie kept glancing over her shoulder every couple steps.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter and the next might be a bit shorter, but I don't want to overwhelm with too much going on at once. Hope the pace is good for you guys!**

 **The original song I had in mind for Rosie and Bliss in this chapter was "One Step at a Time" by Jordin Sparks. You should check it out!**


	4. Barnabas to the Rescue

**A/N: So glad you like this story, guys! It's been a busy summer for me, and I have to say that I'm going on yet another trip this weekend! So here's a chapter for you to keep you occupied!**

 **NerdAlert8910 – You'll get more information about the black streak in Rosie's hair in later chapters. Cyber high-five back at ya!**

 **Reby Montana – I'm glad you love Rosie so much. You may be concerned in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four – Barnabas to the Rescue**

Rosie still thought about the incident at the Western Woods throughout the night and into the morning. She couldn't shake that feeling of wanting to go back and help whoever it was she heard. She knew she heard someone. That wasn't just her imagination. Right?

"Rosie?" Poppy's voice made Rosie jolt, and she remembered she sat at the breakfast table with her parents, who stared at her in concern.

"You've hardly touched your waffles." Branch noted. "They're your favorite."

"I guess I'm not that hungry." Rosie shrugged.

Branch frowned a little. "What's wrong, Rosie? Something's bugging you."

Rosie took a moment to consider whether or not to actually say it. "Dad, why are the Western Woods forbidden?"

"You haven't been going near them, have you?" Poppy asked, her tone stern.

"Well, Bliss and I passed by them, but we didn't go in." Rosie assured.

"Those woods are very dangerous, Rosie." Branch reminded her. "There are at least a dozen different plants and animals trying to kill you. The Western Woods are a place where few normal forest creatures tend to venture."

"So nobody would just walk in there?" Rosie asked.

"Not unless they were suicidal." Branch scoffed. "They'd be dead in seconds."

"Branch." Poppy scolded. "Don't scare her."

"It's okay, Mom." Rosie assured. "I'm not scared."

"But don't go in there, okay?" Branch ordered.

"Yes, Dad." Rosie shoveled a few more bites of breakfast into her mouth. "I'm going to hang out with Bliss today. See ya!"

The king and queen waved as Rosie bounced out of the pod. "So much energy, just like when she was a toddler." Poppy giggled.

"She's not a toddler anymore?" Branch chuckled. "Never would've guessed with her constant playing."

"Just like her mother." Poppy said proudly.

Branch sighed, taking his plate to the kitchen. "She's growing up, isn't she?"

Poppy joined him, and she kissed his cheek. "She's always going to be your little girl. You know that."

"Wish some of the boys in the village knew that." Branch muttered. Poppy giggled at her mate's grumbling.

* * *

Bliss met Rosie at the edge of Troll Grove, and the girls ran as fast as they could up to Gristle's castle. This time, King Gristle Jr. himself answered the door.

"Hey Princess Rosie!" Gristle greeted. "Bliss, always nice to see you too. What can I help you with?"

"We're going on a little adventure into the forest and thought that Barnabas might join us." Rosie put her hands together in a pleading gesture.

"Of course!" Gristle whistled. "Barnabas! C'mere boy!" In seconds, a familiar crocodile galloped forward and pinned Rosie to the ground. She giggled as Barnabas licked her face happily.

"Good boy, Barnabas!" Rosie said. "Wanna go on a walk in the forest with us?"

Barnabas nodded excitedly, and he lowered himself down to allow Rosie and Bliss to climb on. "Thanks King Gristle!" Bliss said. "We'll bring him back later today!"

"Just give him time to hunt around lunchtime and he'll be good to go." Gristle said. "Have fun!"

Barnabas took off at Rosie's command, and they arrived in the forest in no time. With Rosie steering, the crocodile-riding troll girls arrived back at Malrock Swamp.

"What are we doing here?" Bliss asked.

"Well, it occurred to me that you were right." Rosie said. "We managed to find a logical path Grandma could've taken to get out of Bergen Town; but once we get to the forest, it's free range. Grandma could've gone _anywhere_ , and there aren't any tracks for us to follow because they were washed out a long time ago. So we have to depend on scent."

"So that's why Barnabas is with us." Bliss guessed.

"He's perfect for this job. And I got this." She pulled from her hair something folded in a piece of scrapbooking paper. Rosie unfolded the paper to reveal a small piece of knit work that appeared to be an unfinished scarf. "I found this in my great-grandma's yarn basket. I'll bet it still smells like her." She hopped off Barnabas and held the knitted square by Barnabas's nose. The crocodile took a few sniffs. "That's it, Barnabas." Rosie encouraged. "Can you find her? I bet you can!"

Barnabas sniffed the ground for several minutes, but ultimately flopped down and groaned pitifully.

"I guess not." Bliss said.

"Well if her scent isn't around here, maybe she didn't come this way." Rosie suggested.

"What other way would she have come?" Bliss asked.

Rosie thought about it. "I guess she could've found another way out of Bergen Town. Let's try going along the wall and see if we pick up a scent somewhere else." She hopped back onto Barnabas's back, and the crocodile began scurrying towards Bergen Town again. At Rosie's direction, Barnabas began sniffing around the stones of the wall around Bergen Town. But even when he sniffed everywhere on the rocks and even the area around it, Barnabas couldn't seem to catch the scent. Every now and then, Rosie had him sniff the knitted square again.

When they reached the gate to Bergen Town, Bliss stopped Barnabas before he could walk past it. "We should go into the forest from here. The walls are too high and too steep for your great-grandma to climb over. But she could easily slip out the front gate, or even squeeze through the bars of the gate."

"Good thinking." Rosie said. She steered Barnabas into the forest, and the crocodile continued to sniff around. He didn't seem to be going in any particular direction. He whined now and then, discouraged by his inability to catch the trail of the troll they searched for. Rosie started getting anxious. She thought for sure Barnabas would help their search go by much quicker.

After four hours and a bit of déjà vu, Rosie really started to get frustrated.

"Okay, _how_ does this make sense?" Rosie demanded. "We've followed the only logical paths she could've taken, and yet we are finding nothing! Even after all these years, there would be clues to where she could be."

"Unless she flew." Bliss suggested sheepishly. Rosie raised an eyebrow, and Bliss sighed. "Yeah, I know, that's dumb. I don't know why I said that."

"It just doesn't make sense." Rosie murmured.

Bliss rubbed her arm. "Uh, Rosie? Do you think it's time we considered the idea that Rosiepuff isn't alive anymore?"

"No." Rosie said stubbornly.

"Rosie, think about it." Bliss pleaded. "Even if she did escape, she probably died while she was out here. Or maybe she never got away and Chef ate her for a post-Trollstice snack."

"But why would Chef take her after Trollstice already happened?" Rosie demanded. "You heard Chad and Todd. Chef wouldn't have taken the risk unless it was worth it. She had to gain something from it."

"Well I don't know what she could've gained, but—"

"I thought you were with me on this!"

"I am, Rosie! But I don't want you to lose yourself!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying…I mean, I know you must miss her—"

"What do you know about that?"

"Well I miss my parents!"

"They died when you were a baby! You don't even remember them!"

"That doesn't mean I don't wish I could've known them! And that's exactly what you're doing now! You want to know Rosiepuff so badly that you're missing her!"

" _Just shut up!"_

Rosie slapped her hands over her mouth. She never screamed at Bliss like that. Bliss had recoiled at the scream, and she stared at Rosie. The princess suddenly pulled a hand mirror out of her hair and stared at her reflection. She scanned her face and hair, pulling at her glitter freckles.

"Rosie." Bliss put a hand on her friend's shoulder to stop her. "You're not turning grey."

Rosie sighed heavily, and she put the mirror away. "I need to bring her back. I need my family to be whole again, Bliss, or else Dad might turn grey again. And then I might turn grey. What am I going to do if that happens?"

"You find your happiness again, like your Dad did." Bliss said reassuringly. "Just like all the trolls did when they thought they were going to die."

Rosie looked back to Bliss, and she smiled. Bliss was optimistic like any other troll, but she also had a touch of practicality that made her ideal for high-stress situations. Rosie definitely appreciated that.

Barnabas suddenly stopped, almost causing Rosie and Bliss to fall off. During their argument, they forgot about Barnabas still moving through the forest. The girls looked around, surprised to see they made it so far. Barnabas must've been moving faster than they thought. He stopped right at the edge of some familiar trees.

"The Western Woods." Rosie breathed. Barnabas snarled and growled at the trees, clearly agitated.

"Even Barnabas doesn't like this place." Bliss noted.

"Hey, I'll bet this is where those wingdingle birds stopped the other day!" Rosie gasped.

"I don't know a lot about animals, but I think it's safe to say that we should stay away from a place they don't like." Bliss suggested.

Rosie nodded in agreement, and she had Barnabas turn around. Then, she stopped him. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Bliss asked.

"That!" Rosie looked back to the Western Woods. "Someone's in trouble!"

"Whoa, Rosie!" Bliss pulled on Rosie's arm to stop her from jumping off Barnabas. "What are you doing?"

"Someone's in trouble and needs our help!" Rosie insisted. "Don't you hear them shouting?"

"Rosie, there's no one shouting." Bliss assured in an anxious tone. "Come on. We have to get out of here."

Rosie frowned and wrenched her arm free of Bliss's grip. "My mother taught me to never hesitate to lend a helping hand. I _know_ I can hear someone, and they need help. We're the only ones who can do it! But if you won't help, then stay here and wait for me!" She jumped off Barnabas and headed for the Western Woods.

"Rosie!" Bliss called. Barnabas whined in agitation.

"If I'm not back in five minutes, come after me!" Rosie called back. She ran right into the Western Woods, and she disappeared.

Bliss and Barnabas exchanged worried looks.

* * *

Rosie ran as fast as she could, her ears twitching as she listened. Like her father, she had a heightened sense of hearing and more pointed ears, perfect for survival in the forest. She listened closely for the calls. They didn't really sound like calls as much as they were whispers. Surely that meant the person in trouble was far away. After a few minutes, Rosie stopped. The trees around her looked much darker now. Most of them were missing half their foliage. The grass was either dead or nonexistent. For some reason, it felt colder.

"Hello!" Rosie shouted with her hands cupped around her mouth. "Where are you? I'm coming to help you!" She listened closely. Another round of whispering. How far away could they be? Rosie took off running again. Then, her foot caught on something, and she tumbled to the ground. "Aw man! What is—" She gasped when she saw something green and red-striped wrapped around her ankle.

The vine-like object pulled her towards a large hole in the ground. Rosie clawed at the ground, trying to kick the slimy thing off her. She grabbed a stick off the ground, broke it half to make two sharp points, and stabbed one of the sharp ends into the slimy thing around her ankle. The slimy thing let go and disappeared into the hole. Rosie stood quickly as the monster emerged from the hole: a lizard-like creature that looked like an iguana but had brown scales and sharp black claws and red eyes with cat-eye pupils. The lizard hissed at Rosie, shooting out its tongue to grab her. Rosie managed to dodge the strike, and she threw the other sharp stick. The projectile hit the lizard's eye, and it hissed in pain. Rosie turned and ran as fast as she could back towards the safer part of the forest. She looked back once, and she saw the lizard creature chasing her. The lizard hissed again, and Rosie could see three rows of sharp teeth in its mouth. She desperately tried to run faster.

The lizard shot out its tongue again with enough force to send Rosie flying and tumbling across the ground. She turned as the lizard jumped toward her, and she screamed.

Quite suddenly, a gray-purple mass shot out of the trees and tackled the lizard.

"Rosie!" Bliss gasped, hurrying to her friend's side. The girls stared in horror as Barnabas battled with the lizard that was about half his size. What the lizard lacked in size, it made up for in viciousness and teeth. Luckily, Barnabas had plenty of croc instinct and fighting ability to grab the lizard in his jaws and throw it into a tree. Then Barnabas scooped up Rosie and Bliss in his mouth, careful to not hurt them with his pointy teeth, and he bounded off with the girls safe with him.

"Good boy, Barnabas!" Rosie called as she and Bliss bounced around in the crocodile's mouth.

"Are you nuts?!" Bliss grimaced when she face-planted into Barnabas's tongue. "We're in his mouth!"

"Don't worry!" Rosie assured. "Mother crocodiles transport their babies by carrying them in her mouth. Barnabas won't hurt us. He knows his teeth are sharp and he's being very gentle."

Bliss had to admit Barnabas knew what he was doing. He kept his lips clamped together and his teeth clenched, preventing the girls from falling on his teeth or out of his mouth as he ran. "As long as he doesn't swallow us!" She gulped.

Barnabas didn't stop running until he was far, far away from the Western Woods. When he finally stopped, he carefully dumped the girls on the ground and flopped down in exhaustion. The crocodile panted heavily from his adrenaline-induced run. Rosie and Bliss lay on their backs, also panting.

"Good crocodile….." Rosie breathed. "I owe you…a dozen…bacon-wrapped cupcakes…..when we get home."

Bliss sat up. "Rosie…..don't _ever_ do that again!"

Rosie pushed herself upright. "But I—"

"Rosie, you heard nothing!" Bliss snapped. "There wasn't anyone calling for help! It was your imagination! Or maybe the forest was just tricking you! You almost got yourself killed!"

"I mean….I just….I thought….." Rosie sighed. "I'm sorry."

Bliss sighed too, wringing crocodile saliva out of her ponytail. "It's okay, Rosie. You did what you do best: help people. You're just like your mother, and that's so great."

Rosie stared at the ground. "I have to keep looking. I have to find her."

"Rosie, worry about it another day." Bliss practically pleaded. "I want to go home."

After a few tense minutes, Rosie finally answered, "Then let's get home." She helped Bliss climb onto Barnabas, and the crocodile began lumbering back to Bergen Town.

"I'm sorry, Rosie." Bliss said after several minutes in silence.

"You don't have to help me anymore, Bliss." Rosie said. "I'll find Grandma on my own."

"No, I'll help you." Bliss assured.

"I don't need help." Rosie said. "But I promise I won't go into the Western Woods anymore."

Bliss smiled a little. "That's all I need to know. Thanks."

* * *

 _Everything was dark, yet Rosie could tell she was in the forest. Her eyes began to adjust to better see the trees and forestry around her. There didn't seem to be a moon or stars, though, so Rosie couldn't understand how she could see anything at all. Somehow, she could see that she stood at the border of the Western Woods. The already evil-looking forest appeared even scarier. Rosie turned to walk away. She wasn't going to make the same mistake again._

" _Hello!"_

 _Rosie nearly jumped out of her skin. That was definitely_ not _a whisper like she heard before. That was a full-on shout that didn't sound very far away. "Hello? Who's there?"_

" _Hello! Are you there?"_

 _It was definitely a clear voice. A young male, it sounded like._

" _I'm here!" Rosie called into the Western Woods. "I'm right here! Who are you?"_

" _Help us! Please!" the boy called. "You have to help us!"_

 _Rosie started forward, but froze when she came to the edge of the Western Woods. "I can't! I promised I wouldn't go in there!"_

" _Please help us!" the boy begged._

" _Where are you?" Rosie shouted. "What's wrong?"_

" _Help us!"_

 _Rosie still couldn't move over the border into the forbidden part of the forest. "Where are you?"_

" _Help us!"_

" _I can't!"_

" _Help us!"_

" _What's wrong? Where are you?"_

" _Help!"_

"Who _are you?!"_

* * *

Rosie gasped and bolted upright. Her chest heaved as she breathed heavily. The nightmare replayed itself over and over again in her head. Her palms felt sweaty and she shook like a maraca.

"What in the hair?" she finally said.


	5. The Boy of Her Dreams

**Chapter Five – The Boy of Her Dreams**

After weeks of searching, Rosie stopped trying to find Rosiepuff. She would go out with Barnabas every day to explore the forest, only to be met with disappointment every time. She didn't want to give up, but she just couldn't find any logical or highly theoretical path to guide her to her great-grandmother. She had no idea where to go or what to do. Besides, her almost two-month-pregnant mother needed some help around the kingdom. Poppy could still do everything she needed to do. Branch was the one who constantly worried ever since Poppy's baby bump began to appear. Rosie helped out as much as she could, hoping she could eventually let go of her search for Rosiepuff.

The extra work distracted Rosie from something else: her constant nightmares.

Ever since the first one, Rosie had one nightmare after another revolving around the boy's voice coming from the Western Woods. Pretty much every other night, she would dream of the boy's voice again. She never actually saw him, though. How could she help the poor kid if she had no idea who or where he was? And why was she getting those dreams anyway?

She decided there was only one person to go to.

Rosie traveled across the Troll Tree to another pod that was minty green and teal in color, just like its occupant. She knocked and waited patiently for an answer. A familiar yogi troll answered.

"Hello Cybil!" Rosie greeted.

"Greetings, little princess." Cybil bowed to her. "Namaste."

"Namaste!" Rosie chirped.

"Please, come in." Cybil willowy moved aside to allow Rosie entry. "I just made some tea."

"Thanks." Rosie said politely. She stepped into Cybil's home and inhaled slowly to get used to the jasmine incense the older troll liked to burn. Simplicity and practicality reigned supreme in Cybil's home. She didn't really have much furniture, just some yoga mats for meditation. Dreamcatchers hung from the ceiling. Her dining table stood short and low, so much that trolls sat on pillows on the ground to eat at the table. There was always a pot of tea sitting over the tiny fire in the pit in the table's center. A collection of instruments—mainly flutes and guitars—sat neatly in the corner. Cybil liked to use those during meditation. The elderly troll still wore the single-shoulder dress of her youth, and the bindi gem in her forehead never lost its sheen. In fact, the only indicators that she aged at all were the wrinkles near her eyes and the frail look of her hands.

Cybil poured Rosie and herself a cup of tea as the two of them sat at her table. They each took a sip, silently exhaling while the warmth spread through their chests. "Dreams giving you some trouble, hmm?" Cybil said.

"How'd you know?" Rosie asked, surprised.

"A wise troll can deduce problems through fluctuations of auras and changes in body language." Cybil said. "Also, I overheard you and Bliss talking about it the other day."

Rosie giggled madly. Cybil was, by far, the wisest troll in the village. She did have a certain intuition that other trolls didn't have; sometimes, though, she just liked to be silly. "Well, you're right. I'm having a dream that keeps coming back and playing itself over and over again. I don't know what it means."

"Tell me of your dream." Cybil requested. "I am well-educated in the art of dream interpretation."

"I knew you would be." Rosie cleared her throat. "Well, every night it's the same. I'm walking through the forest, and I come to the edge of the Western Woods. I know I'm not supposed to go in there, so I turn around to leave. But then I hear a voice calling from the Western Woods. A boy's voice. He doesn't sound much older than me. He's calling for my help, but I can't help him because I'm afraid to go into the Western Woods. He keeps shouting for help until I wake up. What does it mean?"

Cybil took another sip of her tea and pondered for a moment. "Dreams are strange things. Sometimes they are messages from the past or predictions of the future. Sometimes they are simply old memories resurfacing from our psyche. They often personify our deepest emotions: fears, desires, loves, and so on. In some instances, yogis are trained to communicate with people through their dreams. This dream sounds like something is calling you. Whether or not it is a real person in need of help, I do not know."

"Everyone tells me the Western Woods are dangerous." Rosie said. "I don't know who would be down there, and how they would know to reach out to me and ask for help."

"A yogi can only dream-speak when they have some sort of connection to the one with whom they communicate." Cybil explained. "I can only tell you this for certain: your dreams are the same because you do not make a move. You return to the place where you left off, yet you do not take action."

Rosie stared at her teacup for a minute. "So, you want me to go into the Western Woods? In my dreams, that is."

"You must make a choice, Rosie." Cybil said. "Perhaps the Western Woods hold the answers. You won't know who calls for you until you investigate for yourself."

"But it's dangerous." Rosie protested.

"I cannot condone a physical adventure into that horrid place." Cybil assured. "But if you wish for your dreams to cease—or, at the very least, change—you must consider doing as the voice says."

Rosie found it hard to argue with that. "Thanks, Cybil. That really helps."

"I am happy to be of assistance." Cybil drank more of her tea, an action mimicked by Rosie. "Who do you think is calling for your help?"

"I don't know." Rosie said. "They may be the same ones I heard before."

"Before?" Cybil questioned.

"I mean the last two times I was at the Western Woods. I swore I heard a voice in the wind, calling me there. But I never found anyone." She finished her tea and excused herself. "I have to help Mom around the pod. Thanks again!"

Cybil nodded as Rosie departed from the pod. She tapped the rim of her teacup with her thumb. "How very interesting."

* * *

 _Once again, Rosie found herself at the edge of the Western Woods in her dreamscape. Once more, she heard the boy calling for help._

Time to figure this out. _Rosie inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. She forced her feet to move, and she darted into the Western Woods._ It's only a dream. There's nothing here that can hurt me. _She jumped when she saw a tree that looked like a monster, but kept going._

" _Hello!" Rosie called. "Where are you?"_

" _Here!" the boy called back._

 _The voice sounded closer. Rosie picked up her pace. "I'm coming! Keep talking to me!"_

" _I'm over here! I'm right here! Keep coming!"_

 _Rosie leaped over rocks and ducked under roots. Then she skidded to a halt. In front of her stood what must've been the biggest, tallest, most dead-looking tree in the entire forest. Not a single speck of green on the tree bark, and the bark itself looked dry and brittle. The trunk was littered with holes._

" _Hello?" Rosie called._

" _Hello?"_

 _Rosie spun around at the sound of the boy's voice, and she saw someone duck behind a rock in fear. "It's okay. Come on out. I want to help you."_

 _Slowly, the figure emerged, even when he still cowered in fear. He appeared to be a troll, with grey skin and darker grey hair that faded to black. Even his eyes were grey. He looked about her age, maybe a few years older. The grey troll dressed in black pants, tattered with holes at the knees from too much kneeling or crawling. A fiery orange crystal on a chain hung around his neck, the only speck of color on him._

" _Who are you?" the grey troll asked._

" _Princess Rosie, of the Troll Tree." Rosie replied._

" _Princess…you're Poppy's daughter?" the grey troll gasped._

" _Yes." Rosie nodded slowly. "Who are you?"_

 _The grey troll looked like he would answer, but paused. He shook his head. "That doesn't matter. I need your help."_

" _What's wrong?" Rosie asked._

" _We're trapped. We're being held prisoner." The grey troll explained. "You have to come help us!"_

" _Who's 'us'?" Rosie asked. "I'm so confused. You're not making any sense."_

" _Return to the Western Woods." The grey troll instructed. "Listen to your heart, and let the wind guide you."_

" _But the forest—"_

" _You're our only hope, Rosie! Please help us!"_

* * *

Rosie woke with a start, panting softly. Cybil's advice had worked. Except now Rosie had more questions than answers. Who was that boy? What kind of danger could he and his friend be in? Why were they in the Western Woods in the first place? And how did he know to reach out to Rosie?

Sighing, Rosie stood and prepared for her day. She washed up, combed her hair, got dressed, and joined her parents for breakfast. She ate normally—giving off a false pretense of being okay—and departed to mill about her people. The other trolls greeted her warmly, and she smiled back at them. The sun shined and sent a comforting warmth over Troll Grove and Bergen Town. Everyone smiled and laughed and sang. This place was paradise. Why would Rosie want to leave just to go into some dark, yucky part of the forest? And for what? For a couple trolls who may or may not be there?

"Good morning, Rosebud!" Peppy called.

Rosie perked up at her grandfather's call, and she bounded over to leap into his arms. Peppy chuckled and held her close. "Good morning, Grandad!" Rosie said happily.

"You're bright and cheerful today, as usual." Peppy noted. "Care to join me on my walk?"

"Yeah!" Rosie held Peppy's hand that didn't hold his cane, and they continued their stroll. The two of them chatted about how their days were going lately. Rosie updated Peppy on Poppy's pregnancy. According to Dr. Plum, the baby was developing perfectly healthy and the pod stage would arrive within a month or so. Peppy wasn't officially king anymore, but the trolls still respected him as king. Lately, the trolls turned to him for advice with their current king and queen mostly preoccupied with balancing work with an incoming baby. Peppy enjoyed the work. He wasn't as young as he used to be, but he couldn't stand sitting around all day and every day. He enjoyed advising the trolls and helping when he could.

Peppy noticed an albeit distracted look in Rosie's eyes. "Something bothering you, Rosie?"

"How'd you guess?" Rosie asked.

"You have that same look in your eyes that Poppy gets when something troubles her." Peppy said. "You can hide it well—something you get from your father—but I've learned to pick up on these things. What's wrong?"

"Well, it's a little weird." Rosie said. "Do you dream a lot?"

"Quite a bit, yes." Peppy nodded. "Almost every night."

"What kinds of dreams do you have?" Rosie asked.

"A couple different kinds." Peppy shrugged. "Mostly memories. Why?"

"Well, I've been having this strange nightmare lately." Rosie described her dream to her grandfather.

"You know the Western Woods are dangerous." Peppy reminded her.

"Yes, yes, I know!" Rosie sighed in frustration. "No way do I want to go back. But what if someone actually needs my help? You risked everything to lead the trolls to freedom. If I'm going to be a good queen, shouldn't I be willing to risk myself for the safety of others?"

"A good queen would fight smart." Peppy corrected. "She has to choose her battles."

"So it would be okay if I chose to not answer the call?" Rosie asked.

"That's your decision, Rosie." Peppy said. "Do you want to go after them?"

"I think I do, and maybe I'm just using Dad's rules as an excuse. Heck, I don't even know if the trolls in the Western Woods are real or not." Rosie admitted. "But if it's a troll that's really in trouble, I don't want to abandon them. You wouldn't, and neither would Mom or Dad. I just don't know what to do. I don't know if I'm brave enough to go into the Western Woods."

Peppy stared at the ground in thought. He patted Rosie's shoulder. "Rosie, I am not comfortable with permitting a trek into the Western Woods. I myself made the law that said that part of the forest is forbidden. I've been in the Western Woods before, and I know its dangers. But if I were in your shoes, I would go in and help if I could. I will not tell you what to do, but I will say this: if you choose to go into the Western Woods and help, you cannot go alone. Have someone there with you to watch your back."

Rosie raised an eyebrow. "Wait, are you actually letting me go into the Western Woods?"

"Not alone." Peppy reminded her. "But yes."

Rosie smiled broadly. She hugged Peppy tightly. "Thank you."

"Good luck, Little Rosebud." Peppy said. "You're going to need it to find someone to help you."

"I'm sure I can do that." Rosie said.

* * *

"No."

"Aw come on, Uncle Cooper!" Rosie complained. "I already asked Mom, Dad, Grandad, Aunt Suki, Aunt Satin, Aunt Chenille, Uncle Biggie, Uncle Guy Diamond, Aunt Smidge, and Uncle Fuzzbert! I even asked Uncle King Gristle and Aunt Queen Bridget! None of them will come with me! You're my only hope!"

Cooper continued to organize his hat collection. "Rosie, the Western Woods are too dangerous. You're dreaming, nothing more."

"I don't think I am." Rosie said. "I heard that voice long before I started having those dreams."

"Sorry, Rosie, I just don't believe that any troll could live in the Western Woods." Cooper said. "It's way too dangerous."

Rosie sighed. "You're really not coming with me?"

"Why do you want to go anyway?" Cooper asked. "Who's out there that you want to save?"

"Well, I don't really know who it is." Rosie said. "But what if they were part of our village and got lost?"

"King Peppy wouldn't have left anyone behind." Cooper assured. "No troll left behind, remember?"

Rosie sighed. "You're really not going to help, are you?"

Cooper thought about it. "Tell you what: if you ever find out the identity of the troll in your dreams, I will consider it."

"Deal!" Rosie darted off.

* * *

"I'm asleep. I'm asleep. I'm asleep. I'm asleep. I'm asleep."

"Really? You don't look asleep."

Rosie growled in frustration. "Grandad! That's not helping!" It had been a week since the last time she dreamed of the grey troll boy. She was anxious enough without Peppy interrupting her focus.

Peppy chuckled. "You're too wound-up for sleep, Rosie. Why don't we play a board game or read a book?"

"I have to sleep so I can dream tonight." Rosie said firmly.

"Well you won't be able to sleep until you settle down." Peppy said. "Now come along."

Rosie yelped when Peppy threw her blanket off and hoisted her over his shoulder. "Grandad!" Rosie complained.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Peppy plopped Rosie down on the couch. Branch and Poppy were at a meeting with Gristle and Bridget, and they wouldn't be back until late. So Peppy was in charge of watching Rosie and making sure she went to bed on time.

Rosie brushed off her nightgown. "Fine. What are we going to do?"

Peppy pretended to think about it. "Let's see. What to do to turn that frown upside-down? We could play Troll-opoly. Or we could read _Grin Brothers Fairytales_. Or….." He started tickling Rosie's ribs, making her giggle hysterically.

"Hey!" Rosie laughed. "Come on, Grandad! I'm too big for that!"

"Not until you're eighteen, you're not!" Peppy laughed.

Rosie panted a little when her grandfather stopped his playful attack. "Well, I'm a little more tired now."

Peppy chuckled and pulled his granddaughter into a hug. "It is getting close to your bedtime, anyway. How about that story?"

"Yeah!" Rosie nodded. She always enjoyed Peppy's stories; and maybe hearing one would help her sleep and focus on dreaming about the grey troll from the Western Woods. "Will you tell me the story of how you saved all the trolls and escaped Bergen Town?"

"Haven't you heard that story a hundred times?" Peppy chuckled.

"But I love that story." Rosie put on her best puppy dog eyes.

Peppy rolled his eyes with a grin. "All right." He waited a moment for Rosie to get comfortable beside him. "Now, I had been planning an escape for the trolls for several years. It occurred to me that our best bet was to do it in secret. To slip out from under the Bergens' noses. We couldn't start digging, or else we would be caught. So I decided we would go through the tree itself. We started digging, and we discovered plenty of tunnels under the ground. It took us almost a year to complete the tunnels, and thankfully we managed to finish just in time for Trollstice. To buy us time to escape, we made wooden dummies with fake hair attached to them and left them in our pod homes. It worked! While Chef was distracted, I led the trolls into the tunnels and to freedom. I was most thankful that I could trust the trolls to retrieve Poppy and bring her to me. But we weren't out of the woods yet! Some of the other trolls couldn't keep up. They were tired or injured, and couldn't stay with the group. I vowed we would all escape, so I went back for every single troll who fell behind. Then suddenly, the Bergens were upon us! They were trying to dig their way into the tunnel to imprison us again. I had to throw the trolls I saved ahead of me so they wouldn't be captured. With your mother tucked away in my hair, I had to duck under shovels and avoid being impaled by pickaxes plunging into the dirt! Because of my strength—or really just dumb luck—I managed to get out. But I didn't let the trolls rest until we were safe in a new home."

Rosie sighed blissfully. "You're really brave."

Peppy shrugged. "I only did it for the trolls. They deserved happiness after being imprisoned for so long."

Rosie stared off into space. She yawned. Peppy scooped her up again and took her to bed. He tucked her in and made sure she was comfortable. Rosie looked to the ceiling. "Hey Grandad? Will I ever be as great of a queen as you were a king?"

"Of course." Peppy said without hesitation. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you and Mom did such great things." Rosie said. "You led the trolls to freedom, and nobody was ever eaten again. And then Mom actually made peace with the Bergens, something no troll ever did before. We don't have any more enemies that I know of. What kinds of great things will I do when I become queen?"

"You don't have to do anything monumental to show you're a good queen." Peppy assured. "Sometimes the smallest things you do have the biggest impacts. Besides, sometimes it's good to not be mentioned in history books. My father wasn't very popular because he was on the throne when the Bergens captured the Troll Tree. Many believed he did not fight back as much as he could have."

"I just want to be a good leader. Like you." Rosie said.

Peppy smiled and patted Rosie's head. "You just be yourself, Rosie, and you'll be fine."

Rosie looked to her grandfather, and she smiled. She accepted his hug and yawned again. "Will you sing me a lullaby?"

"Of course, Little Rosebud." Peppy let her settle back into her bed before he began to didn't take long for Rosie's eyes to slide shut. Peppy tucked Rosie's blanket around her as the young troll started to fall asleep. He always knew the best lullabies to help her snooze. To care for her as he did now, Peppy found himself reminiscing on the nights he spent raising his own little princess. Seeing Rosie being raised by both of her parents made Peppy happier than anyone would ever know, because he knew firsthand what it was like to be a single parent raising a child all on their own. Rosie yawned one more time as her eyes slid shut. Peppy stroked her hair adoringly, and his smile grew. But his eyebrows furrowed when he saw those black strands of hair in Rosie's jade green locks. Whether it was hereditary thanks to Branch's twenty years of greyness or some sort of depression within Rosie herself, Peppy knew he just wanted to keep her happy.

Rosie's breathing evened out as she drifted to dreamland. Peppy kissed her head. "Goodnight, Rosie. I love you."

Rosie sighed in her sleep. "Love you too, Grandad."

* * *

 _When Rosie dreamed that night, she was already back at the hole-ridden tree, and the teenaged grey troll waited for her._

" _You have to help us. Please." The grey troll implored._

" _I'm coming as soon as I can. I just can't come alone." Rosie explained. "I need to know who you are."_

" _I can't tell you." The grey troll said._

" _Why not?" Rosie demanded._

" _Because you won't come when you know who I am." The grey troll said. "Come to the forest. Listen to your heart, and let the wind guide you."_

" _I promise I will, but I have to know who you are!" Rosie insisted._

" _I can't tell you that!" the grey troll snapped in frustration. "You don't understand, but someday maybe you will."_

" _Did you come from my village?" Rosie asked. "Are you a friend of my mother's or something? Just tell me!"_

" _Come to the forest!" the grey troll practically ordered. "I know you have a good heart, Rosie. Listen to it!"_

" _Yeah, the problem is my heart says one thing but my head is screaming something else." Rosie snapped._

" _You have to help us. She won't survive unless you free her." The grey troll sounded desperate now._

" _Who? Who won't survive?" Rosie asked._

" _She can't die in a cage!" the grey troll said. "Don't let her down!"_

" _Who?!" Rosie repeated._

 _Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Cracks appeared in the dreamscape._

" _Listen to your heart, Rosie!" the grey troll began to fade away. "Let the wind guide you!"_

" _No, wait!" Rosie pleaded. "Tell me who you are! Who's your friend? I just want to help you!"_

" _Help us, Rosie! You're the only one who can!"_

* * *

Rosie's eyes flew open. She panted a little and looked around her bedroom. Moonlight shone through her window. It was still the middle of the night.

"Ugh!" Rosie groaned in frustration. "Why wouldn't he tell me his name? I just want to help." She sat up and put her finger to her lip in thought. "I can't go into the Western Woods alone, and no one is going to help me unless I can give a name." Rosie thought and thought and thought, and then she lit up with an idea. "Of course! He knew my mom before I mentioned her name! He must've been a friend of hers!"

Rosie hopped off her bed and tiptoed out of her room. She had to pass her parents' room to get to the living room, where she began perusing the bookshelf. Thanks to Branch's sense of organization, the tomes on the shelves sat in their own sections based on who owned them, what genre they were, and even alphabetized by title. Rosie pulled over the ladder to reach her mother's scrapbooks on the top shelf, and she ran her finger along the spines as she searched for the right one.

"Ah-ha!" Rosie cheered quietly. She pulled down a thick scrapbook titled _Friendship Scrapbook Vol. 3._ She slid down the ladder and plopped down on the couch. "This is all of my mom's closest friends from when they were teenagers. So, living or dead, he must be in here somewhere!"

"Who must be in there?"

Rosie nearly screamed at the voice, and her head whipped around to the doorway leading to the kitchen. Poppy stood in the doorway, a smirk on her lips and her eyebrow raised. She held a cup of water in one hand. Her baby bump made the middle part of her nightgown stick out.

"Mom!" Rosie laughed nervously. "What, uh, what are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep." Poppy shrugged, coming over to sit next to her daughter. "Going through my scrapbooks, I see."

"I love your scrapbooks." Rosie said. It wasn't a lie, but she couldn't let her mother know what she planned. "Will you look through it with me in case I see someone I don't recognize?"

"Anything for you, baby girl." Poppy set her cup down and pulled the scrapbook into her lap. She opened it to reveal the first picture was of her and Cooper on Poppy's thirteenth birthday. Both of them had cake all over their faces and hair.

"Don't I have a picture like that?" Rosie giggled.

"Like mother, like daughter." Poppy laughed. She turned to another page that had a girls-only picture: Poppy, Suki, Satin, Chenille, and Smidge. The teenagers in the pictures wore their pajamas, indicating a slumber party. Another picture showed Biggie playing dress-up with Mr. Dinkles. The next one was a dance party amongst the friends. Rosie scanned each picture for a new face, hoping she'd find the mysterious grey troll from her dreams.

"Is that Aunt Harper?" Rosie asked, pointing to a picture of a toddler troll covered so much in paint she couldn't see the young troll's skin or hair colors.

"You bet!" Poppy nodded. "Still a lover of paint. Always was her favorite medium for art."

Rosie giggled. She was used to seeing Harper covered in splotches of paint. This picture made little Harper look like a monster from Paint Lagoon. She turned the page, and her eyes widened a little. The next picture showed a teenaged Poppy about Rosie's age, sitting with a boy about a year older than her. The boy troll had lavender skin and green hair that faded to teal, with indigo eyes and glitter freckles. He wore a pair of yellow pants. He and Poppy seemed to be laughing when the picture was taken.

"Who's that?" Rosie asked, pointing to the lavender troll.

Poppy frowned. "No one."

"But he looks like a friend of yours." Rosie protested. "Maybe even a boyfriend."

"No. Not anymore." Poppy huffed bitterly.

Rosie stared at her mother. "Who is that, Mom? Come on, you can tell me."

Poppy stared at the picture. Seeing that troll's face brought back memories, some good and some painful. But what she remembered most was that one moment when this troll tore her heart to pieces and stomped all over it. The thought made her so mad.

"You remember the story of how the Bergen Chef found us again? And how Mommy and Daddy saved everyone?" Poppy asked.

"Well, yeah. Everyone knows that story." Rosie said.

Poppy pointed to the lavender-colored troll in the picture. " _That_ is Creek."

Rosie stared in shock, her jaw dropped. _What?!_

The grey troll from her dreams…..was Creek?

 _The guy who needs my help is the same troll who betrayed us all?!_

* * *

 **A/N: How's that for a twist? For the lullaby, my first thought was an old one from my childhood: "Your Heart Will Lead You Home" by Kenny Loggins.**


	6. The Troll of the Western Woods

**A/N: Loved your reactions, guys! I decided to not torture you any longer with the cliffhanger. Hope you like this next one!**

 **Neomoon585 – I used to listen to that song all the time as a child. It holds a very dear place in my heart.**

 **Jpbake – Cute, scary, AND addicting? I'm flattered!**

 **And LivvyLeopard, I'm working on the next chapter to _Into the Psyche 3._ I hope it lives up to your expectations!**

* * *

 **Chapter Six – The Troll of the Western Woods**

For weeks after the revelation, Rosie could hardly sleep or eat. She tried to distract herself with her friends, her duties as a princess, or the fact that Branch practically locked Poppy in their home so nothing would go wrong with the transition to pod stage. Poppy's baby bump had grown. She still had one more month until the transition to the pod stage of her pregnancy, but the typically overprotective Branch still wouldn't let her leave their house until the pod sprouted.

Rosie's thoughts continued to go back to the grey troll from her dreams, whom she confirmed for herself was really Creek. When she dreamed of him, she never told him she knew who he was. She could tell just by looking at him: even though his colors and clothes changed, his features matched up perfectly with the ones Rosie saw in the picture. Why he looked so young and how he turned grey, Rosie didn't know. She didn't really want to care. When he sold out the village, Creek became one of the most infamous traitors in troll history, right up there with the troll who helped the Bergens cage the Troll Tree decades ago. Why should Rosie help him at all? He deserved to rot in the Western Woods.

And yet, when the dreams stopped, Rosie found herself worrying about him and his friend. Her head kept rationalizing that Creek's friend—if the friend even existed—was probably just as nasty as him, and they deserved whatever misfortune befell them. Her heart, however, yearned for answers and begged for Rosie to go help. When she thought about it, Creek looked terrible in her dreams. Through the holes in his pants, Rosie saw bruises and cuts. His arms had some scarring from what looked like scratches. His hair lay unkempt. The glitter freckles on his cheeks lost their shine. His eyes…..

Rosie shivered. She hated to think about Creek's eyes. They were dead. Void of any life or light. Such a haunting and terrible look in those eyes.

The more she thought about it, the worse Rosie felt. The dreams stopped, yet her mind stayed on Creek and his friend. Both of them trapped in a horrible part of the forest, probably hurt and maybe even dying. Soon, Rosie began to feel like the traitor. Her grandfather and mother instilled into her their most sacred of beliefs: no troll left behind. Even if Creek did something terrible, didn't he deserve a second chance if he really wanted it? And what if his friend wasn't as bad as Rosie thought?

After a few more days of fretful thoughts, Rosie made her decision.

She learned everything she knew about survival from her father, so she knew exactly what to pack in her bag. She would need to pack light to move quickly and not raise suspicion from her parents. Hopefully she could get her answers and be back by tomorrow, or else her parents would really worry. Triple-checking her pack, Rosie readjusted her hat and started for the door. What she didn't expect was seeing her parents and Cooper in the living room.

So much for sneaking out.

"Hello Rosie!" Poppy greeted cheerfully.

"Where are you off to?" Branch asked, eyeing her pack over her shoulders.

Luckily, Rosie prepared for her parents asking about her. She wouldn't have to leave a note as she planned. "I'm going to a sleepover tonight."

"Oh right!" Cooper said before Rosie could continue. "I almost forgot to tell you guys."

"Tell us?" Poppy repeated. Rosie stared at him strangely too.

"I invited Rosie and Bliss to spend the night at my place!" Cooper said to Poppy and Branch. "I know how much those girls love to go through my records, and I figured it would give Satin, Chenille, and you two a night to yourselves."

"That's really cool of you, Cooper." Branch said thankfully. "Thank you."

"Yeah." Rosie said. "It's going to be fun." She had no idea what Cooper was doing. If she didn't go along with it, though, her parents would get suspicious.

"Come on!" Cooper practically danced out of the room. "We are gonna have fun tonight!"

"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" Rosie waved as she followed Cooper. "See you tomorrow!" Her parents bid her farewell, and Rosie ran to catch up with Cooper.

Suddenly, Cooper stopped dancing and just started walking. "Sorry I didn't tell you my plan sooner, Rosie, but I was afraid you would leave without me."

Rosie nearly tripped over her feet from shock. "What?"

"You think I was going to let you go into the Western Woods alone?" Cooper scoffed. "No way. I'm with you every step of the way, kiddo."

"But what about Bliss?" Rosie asked when she and Cooper arrived at his pod.

"I'm going to get her now." Cooper said. "Make some sandwiches for our lunch and we'll talk when I get back." He left again before Rosie could answer, so she simply did what he said.

Half an hour later, Bliss arrived with her own backpack. She and Cooper sat on the ground with Rosie to eat their lunch. Rosie was getting antsy. She wanted to leave before it got too dark in the Western Woods.

"You know who we're looking for, don't you?" Cooper guessed. "That's why you want to leave so quickly. You found out who you were dreaming about."

"That's right." Rosie nodded.

"Who is it?" Bliss asked. "Come on, you can tell us."

Rosie sighed, leaving her half-eaten sandwich on her plate. "When I tell you, you're going to try and talk me out of it."

"What makes you say that?" Cooper asked. "Who is this guy we're going to find?"

"He was all grey, but I saw a picture of him when he was colored, and I swear they look like twins. It has to be Creek." Rosie answered.

"Creek?!" Cooper and Bliss exclaimed at once.

"And he's in trouble, along with a friend of his." Rosie said. "I'm going to find them."

"Why should we bother?" Bliss scoffed. "Creek nearly killed our parents and the entire village. He deserves whatever bad thing happens to him."

"I don't think so." Rosie said. "Maybe he's changed."

"Rosie, Creek was a really good friend of mine." Cooper said. "But what he did….I just don't think he can change."

"Really?" Rosie crossed her arms with a frown. "Is that what you thought about my dad when he was grey?"

Cooper opened his mouth, and then clamped it shut again. He couldn't argue with that. Like most trolls, he thought Branch was a paranoid freak of a grey troll who would never change. In reality, Cooper owes Branch his life, and now considers him to be a wonderful and true friend.

"You're going to go whether we like it or not, won't you?" Bliss guessed.

"I can't just leave him out there." Rosie said with determination. "I'm following my heart, and my heart tells me to go after him."

Bliss and Cooper exchanged a look and a sigh. "Then we're with you." Cooper said. "Get your bags, ladies. We're heading out."

"Right now?" Bliss asked, surprised. She and Rosie grabbed their bags and followed Cooper out of his pod.

"If we try to leave at dark, we won't see a thing in the forest, much less the Western Woods." Cooper explained.

"But what's our alibi to give to the other trolls? And the Bergens?" Rosie asked. "They'll see us leave."

"No they won't." Cooper assured. "Because we're taking the escape tunnels. It's the quickest and most discrete way to get out of the Grove and Bergen Town."

"You don't have to come with us, Cooper." Rosie said.

"Sure I do." Cooper said. "You're my niece, and I promised I would go if you gave me the name of the guy you were dreaming about. Now I don't like Creek, but a promise is a promise. I'm coming along to protect you."

"And I'm coming to support you." Bliss said. "We do this together, we'll be fine."

Rosie grinned. "Thanks, guys." She put on a determined look. "Let's go!"

* * *

As Rosie observed Cooper's movements, she could guess that he planned this escape for a few days. For a rather goofy troll, the llama was pretty clever. The old entrance to the escape tunnels had a fence around it, mainly to keep out troublemaking teenager trolls who might get lost. Cooper led Rosie and Bliss into the tunnels during the changing of the guards. The trio made it out into the forest, and they went straight towards the Western Woods. Thanks to their more direct route, they reached the dark and foreboding woods by midafternoon.

"You're sure about this?" Bliss asked.

"Yes." Rosie nodded firmly.

"We'll follow your lead, Rosie." Cooper said.

Rosie exhaled softly and started walking. Cooper and Bliss followed. _Remember what Creek said._ Rosie reminded herself. ' _Listen to your heart. Let the wind guide you.'_ Rosie felt like this was the right way, so she tried feeling for a wind. She felt nothing. So they kept walking.

Now that they could really see the Western Woods, it seemed mildly obvious why the place was forbidden. Regardless of whether or not dangerous creatures or plants lived there, this part of the forest was downright creepy. The greenery on the trees grew sparser. The grass transitioned from green to yellow. Animals cried from the trees, and eyes peered out from holes in the bark. Even on a sunny day like today, the air felt cool.

When they could no longer see the brighter part of the forest, Rosie stopped and tried listening again. This time, she felt a soft breeze on her back. She walked forward again. After a few paces, the wind shifted to blow against Rosie's side. Rosie paused and looked in the direction the wind blew.

"What's up, Rosie?" Bliss asked.

Rosie stared in the direction of the wind. "I think we need to go that way."

Cooper and Bliss took a look. The forest looked even scarier that way. "What makes you say that?" Cooper asked.

"The wind said so." Rosie started walking again, forcing Bliss and Cooper to follow. Neither of them really wanted to tell Rosie she was crazy, even though they both thought it. Rosie continued her walk. Every few paces or so, the wind would change direction, and Rosie would follow it.

About two hours passed, and Cooper decided they should take a break. The sun started to dip behind the trees, increasing the shadows in the forest.

"Are we sure we're going the right way?" Bliss asked.

"Pretty sure." Rosie said.

"What do you mean 'pretty sure'?" Cooper narrowed his eyes. "Do you have any idea where we're going?"

"Not really. But I have a good attitude and hope." Rosie said.

"Rosie, under normal circumstances, I would commend your optimism." Bliss said. "But we're in the middle of one of the most dangerous parts of the forest. Do you have a plan at all?"

"Find Creek and his friend. Go home." Rosie said.

"Like mother, like daughter." Cooper sighed. "Rosie, I'm tempted to pull the plug on this little adventure for the sake of our safety. I don't want to sound like a party pooper, but I also don't want us to lose our heads, literally."

Rosie looked around. "We'll find them soon. Just have a little faith in me; and I have faith in Creek. He did go through a lot of trouble to contact me."

"I don't see why we should have any faith in someone like Creek." Bliss said.

"You've never met him." Rosie argued.

"Neither have you." Cooper said. "But I have. Creek can be pretty sneaky. He's probably just going to abandon us as soon as we rescue him."

"Why do you want to help Creek so badly?" Bliss asked.

 _Because my heart tells me to._ Rosie wanted to say that, but she'd be called crazy. She just knew it. She leaned back and stared at the sky. She could see the pre-dusk sky through the bare branches of the trees. There wasn't any grass in this area. Just rocks scattered around. A few flower petals floated by.

Rosie bolted straight up, and she jumped to her feet. Her head swiveled all around until her eyes locked onto a couple flower petals laying on the ground, bright and healthy. She inched closer to the petals, and suddenly the wind picked up and lifted the petals into the air. The petals began to float away.

"After those petals!" Rosie called. She ran after the petals, and her friend and uncle had to scramble to keep up with her. Rosie kept right under the flower petals, even when she had to make sharp turns and spin around a few times. Finally, she pulled off her hat and threw her hair out to grab one of the flower petals. She pulled it close to her and plopped her hat back on her head.

"What are they?" Cooper asked.

"Flowers? In this awful place?" Bliss scratched her head in confusion.

Rosie rubbed the soft red petal and gave it a sniff. "Roses…" She gasped. "Rosiepuff! That's it!" She released the petal so it could float with the others, and Rosie followed the petals as the wind carried them off.

"Wait for us!" Cooper yelped.

"Where are we going?" Bliss asked.

"Follow those petals!" Rosie urged. "Creek's leading us to Rosiepuff!"

"What?!" Cooper and Bliss exclaimed. They didn't get to ask anything else because they had to focus on following Rosie.

The young troll kept right behind the rose petals in the breeze. _I knew it! I knew it!_ Rosie's smile stretched from ear to ear. _I'm going to find her! I'm going to find both of them!_

Rosie, Cooper, and Bliss followed the petals for about ten minutes of almost nonstop running. The sky definitely grew darker as the sun crept towards the horizon. Very little light could make it through the trees. The rose petals swirled around in one place, and then settled on the ground. Rosie, Cooper, and Bliss skidded to a halt, panting from their run. The petals didn't move, the wind apparently gone. Rosie looked around and saw many more dead trees and rock-riddled dirt. She also saw a large tree in front of her with lots of holes in the bark, like it had been attacked by a fleet of woodpeckers.

"That's the tree from my dream." Rosie said. "But I see a few lights."

"Maybe someone lives there." Cooper suggested.

"Maybe it's Creek." Bliss added.

Rosie lifted up one of the rose petals and tossed it up. But it floated back to the ground. "I guess we're supposed to stop here."

"You think anyone even lives here?" Cooper asked.

"We won't know until we check." Rosie said.

"Yeah, have fun with that." Bliss crossed her arms. "I'm staying down here." She leaned against one of the exposed roots of the old tree.

A _click_ , and the trio of trolls heard a series of clacks and cranks from something moving under the ground. They huddled together, looking all around for the source. Unexpectedly, a square section of ground underneath them popped up and launched them into the air. The trio screamed as they shot straight up into the open air and past the tops of the trees. When they reached the peak of their ascension, Cooper and Rosie had to grab their hats to keep them from falling off. The trio of trolls started falling again, and they screamed again. They fell towards the old tree, and part of the bark moved to reveal a hole. Rosie went in first, then Cooper, then Bliss. They sped down a tunnel, hugging each other so they wouldn't be separated. After a few twists, turns, and loop-de-loops, the three trolls made a hard landing in a cage.

"Ouch." Cooper moaned.

"Double ouch." Rosie agreed.

"My skirt is torn!" Bliss shrieked. "When I get my hands on the wise guy who lay that trap—"

The three trolls jumped when a small explosion erupted in front of them. Smoke pooled around the ground and the trolls' ankles. Sparks whizzed around the room. A tall figure emerged from the smoke, shadowy except for a pair of glowing red eyes.

"WHO DARES ENTER MY HOME?" the figure spoke in a big, booming voice.

"W-we're really sorry!" Cooper gulped as the girls cowered behind him.

"Who are you?" Rosie asked.

"I AM THE MASTER OF THIS TREE!" the figure thundered. "I RULE THIS PART OF THE FOREST AND VANQUISH ALL WHO DARE TO TRESSPASS. I AM THE SORCERER KNOWN AS—" The figure's red eyes narrowed, as though to squint at the trio. His voice changed to a harsh baritone. "Wait, are you a couple kids and a llama?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Bliss snapped sassily.

The figure snapped his fingers. The smoke and sparks disappeared, and the shadowy figure changed shape. "It's nothing really. I just don't like wasting my magic on false alarms."

Now that the shadows had fallen away, the figure turned out to be an elderly male troll. He had dark grey skin and pitch-black hair peppered with white from age, and a small black-grey goatee. He dressed in black pants, a black tunic with silver designs, and had a black cape around his shoulders. His eyes were a deep, burgundy-red color.

"My name is Blackwood." The troll said with a flourishing bow. He snapped his fingers, and the door to the cage swung open. "I do apologize for the fall. Must make sure others stay away from my home. I like my privacy."

"Do you also like to destroy people's clothing?" Bliss demanded, gesturing to her skirt.

"Let me fix that." Blackwood waved his hand, and a needle, spool of thread, and pair of scissors flew into the room. In no time at all, the self-moving sewing materials perfectly mended Bliss's skirt and put themselves away.

"Huh. Not bad." Bliss mused.

"I am truly sorry for the mix-up." Blackwood said. "Please join me for dinner so I may show my sincerest apologies."

Rosie didn't like Blackwood for some reason. Something just didn't sit right with her. "Uh, we wouldn't want to intrude."

"Not at all!" Blackwood herded them to the door. "I insist!"

"Uh, okay." Cooper said. Was it just him, or did Blackwood seem a bit pushy?

Blackwood led the trio out the door and down a short hallway to another room. As it turned out, Blackwood had carved quite the lovely home out of the tree. The doors looked hand-carved and ornately decorated, but Rosie had a feeling Blackwood used his magic to make the doors. Blackwood pushed through the door and ushered his guests into his dining room. The walls had a few picture carvings like tapestries. The table was circular, same shape as the room, and just barely left enough room to maneuver around it. The dishware was made of silver and sparkly gems.

"Slave!" Blackwood shouted so loudly that his guests jumped.

"You have servants?" Rosie asked.

"A horrible little wretch, yes." Blackwood sniffed indignantly. "He's been working for me for the past decade or so." He shouted out again. "Slave! Get in here!"

"Coming!"

Rosie froze, and she spun around as someone entered the room: a troll with grey skin, grey hair that faded to black, grey eyes, and tattered black pants.

 _Creek._ Rosie stared at the teenaged grey troll.

Creek locked eyes with Rosie and discretely motioned for her to stay quiet. Luckily, Blackwood's back was to Creek, and he didn't see the grey troll's movements. "Creek, as you can see, I have guests." Blackwood said. "Got get us dinner."

"Yes, sir." Creek bowed to Blackwood and turned to leave the room again. Rosie barely held back her gasp when she saw several scars on Creek's back from what looked like a whip.

"What are you all doing in the Western Woods, anyway?" Blackwood asked.

"We're traveling." Bliss said quickly. "We do a lot of exploring, and we were trying to take a shortcut back home."

"But we got lost." Cooper added. "On the way home." Rosie squeezed Cooper's knee to stop him from talking. Cooper wasn't very good at lying and would start rambling unless stopped.

"Interesting." Blackwood mused. "You live near here?"

"Sort of near here." Rosie said. "We live a few miles away from the Western Woods."

"I've never seen another troll living in the forest near here." Blackwood said thoughtfully.

"I've never known anyone who voluntarily lived in the Western Woods." Rosie countered.

Blackwood chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you're right. As I said, I enjoy my privacy."

"Why? Why hide in this place?" Bliss asked.

Blackwood took a drink from his cup. "My magic allows me to survive. I've found several creatures who tend to avoid me thanks to those powers. Not to mention they make good guinea pigs for my experiments."

"Uh, doesn't that seem a little mean?" Cooper asked.

Blackwood shrugged. "Do you belong to a tribe or village of trolls? Who is your king or queen?"

"We only have each other." Bliss said. "Our clan was destroyed when we were young."

"What about you?" Rosie asked. "Did you belong to a tribe at one point?"

"Never really belonged." Blackwood said.

"What happened?" Cooper asked.

Blackwood tapped his finger on the table rather impatiently. "Where is that slave with our dinner?"

Cooper, Bliss, and Rosie exchanged looks. Blackwood was not answering their questions; and the more they talked, the more suspicious Blackwood looked. The entire situation spelled danger, and Rosie began to wonder what Creek had in mind by leading them here.

"So do you have any pets?" Bliss asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Just my dark phoenix steed, named Reaper." Blackwood said.

"What's a dark phoenix?" Rosie asked.

"Well, it's like a regular phoenix." Blackwood said. "But they're much better. For example, instead of tears that heal, they have venomous talons that cause immense pain. Won't kill you, just cause you a lot of agony."

"That doesn't sound good." Cooper said.

Blackwood shrugged with a malicious grin. "Only if you're on the receiving end of the talons."

Once more, Rosie, Bliss, and Cooper exchanged looks of concern and unease. They definitely didn't like Blackwood. He was just too creepy for their liking.

Suddenly, a screech rang out through the bark of the tree. Cooper, Rosie, and Bliss huddled together in fear. Blackwood, however, seemed more attentive and stared at the ceiling. His ears twitched.

"What is that?" Bliss demanded.

"Reaper." Blackwood answered. His eyes suddenly blazed with fury. "A prisoner has escaped!"

"Prisoner?" Cooper repeated.

" _Slave!"_ Blackwood bellowed. Unfortunately, he did so right as Creek entered the room with the food, and Creek jumped in surprise. Creek wobbled as he tried to rebalance the trays in his hands and on his head. Suddenly, Blackwood grabbed Creek with his hair and threw him into the wall across the room. Blackwood used his magic to grab the food and cutlery and hurled it at Creek. The teenaged troll curled into a ball and cowered as the food and dishware rained down on him. He trembled with fear as Blackwood marched up to him.

"S-s-sir?" Creek gagged when Blackwood grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him up to eye level.

"She's escaped again, hasn't she?" Blackwood snarled. "How did she escape?!"

"I….I….." Creek gasped for breath.

Blackwood threw him to the ground. "Never mind. I'll deal with you later." He stomped towards the door. "I beg your pardon, ladies and gentle-troll, but would you mind lending me a hand?"

"Uh—" Cooper wanted to refuse, but Rosie spoke first.

"We will most certainly help you." Rosie said. She encouraged Cooper and Bliss to follow her as they trailed after Blackwood. Rosie looked back once to Creek, who still knelt on the ground. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be muttering a hopeful prayer. Rosie jogged after her friends and Blackwood. When they got outside, Rosie and her friends reeled back at the sight of a great black bird. It looked like some sort of bird of prey, completely black in color with blood-red eyes.

"Meet Reaper." Blackwood said. "I will ride him through the Western Woods. My prisoner couldn't have gotten far. You three search the ground. Shout if you find the prisoner, and Reaper will hear you."

"How will we know if we found him or her?" Bliss asked.

"Just look for the troll running away." Blackwood mounted his dark phoenix and the bird flew off with him.

"All in favor of going home right now, say 'Aye.'" Cooper said.

"Aye!" Bliss piped up.

"No!" Rosie denied. "If we leave now, Blackwood will get suspicious, and I don't want a crazy sorcerer troll coming after us. I _definitely_ don't want him to find the Troll Tree. We'll run around for a while and come back here saying we didn't find anything. Then we'll politely excuse ourselves, leave the Western Woods, and never return."

"Fine." Bliss sighed.

"Agreed." Cooper nodded.

"Break!" Rosie ordered. The three of them split off and ran in different directions. Rosie didn't know how she felt about their little adventure anymore. Of all the things she expected, meeting a crazy sorcerer troll was not one of them. She was starting to wish she just stayed home. But if they could make it through this, then she would keep her promise of never dragging her friends back to the Western Woods ever again. She would have to figure out what to do about Creek herself.

Rosie didn't really run in any particular direction. She did look over her shoulder now and then to make sure she could see Blackwood's tree home. If she strayed too far, Cooper and Bliss may not be able to find her. She ran around in a few circles and jumped over tree roots, figuring she would keep it up for a few minutes and then go back.

That plan only lasted until she slammed into something.

Rosie groaned and rubbed her head. Whatever she ran into, it felt a little soft but also hard enough to send her bouncing backwards. She landed on her tailbone and shook her head to get rid of the dizziness. She looked up to see what she ran into.

She screamed.

* * *

 **A/N: Remember when I said I wouldn't torture you with that last cliffhanger? Now I'm going to torture you with this one. (insert evil laugh)**


	7. Escape

**A/N: Okay, I think I've tortured you all long enough. :D Enjoy, my lovely readers!**

 **Reby Montana – In all seriousness, does Blackwood seem crazy? I'm trying to write him that way.**

 **TheLemonsAreComing – See, because you included the "(Darth Vader)", that's how I heard it in my head. And then I heard his voice reading your review. You make me laugh. XD**

 **Guest – Your questions will be answered! If not in this chapter, then the next!**

 **Jpbake – I'm glad I caught you off-guard. I will say that I don't mind using Creek as a villain in my adaptations. But the reason I can write a redemption story for him is because he never seemed inherently malicious. It was a split-second decision for him, like a fight or flight reflex. For Hans, he had been plotting and scheming before the events of the movie, so I don't see how he can be redeemed.**

 **Feanwen – I want to see Peppy more often too, and I hope I can integrate him more in this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven – Escape**

" _AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"_ Rosie screamed.

" _AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"_ The person she ran into screamed back.

" _AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"_ They both screamed at once before running to hide from each other.

Rosie breathed heavily, her chest heaving. _What….was…..that?_ She pressed her back against the thick, exposed root of a tree. Ever so slowly, she climbed up to peer over the edge of the root.

Imagine her surprise when she saw someone else peering over the other side of the root…..with the exact same purple skin, green hair, and blue-green nose as hers.

Rosie and the "someone" ducked down again. Rosie blinked a few times. _Was I looking into a mirror?_ She tried looked up again. Her "reflection" popped her head up too. Now, Rosie could see her would-be reflection had green lips, green eyes, and her hair was streaked with white and tied into a bun at the top. Rosie and her doppelgänger ducked down again. They popped up for a third time, both of them making the exact same silly face. They laughed at their little game.

"I'm very sorry for scaring you, dear." Rosie's doppelgänger said, coming out from behind the root. Rosie joined her, and saw that her twin was definitely much older than herself. She wore a cream-colored dress, though the pretty dress looked like it needed a good washing and some hemming.

"No, no, it's okay." Rosie assured. "I should've been watching where I was going."

Her twin rubbed her arm, where Rosie slammed into her. "Yes, I must agree with that. Although I didn't expect to see another troll out here."

"Same here. What are you…..you….." Rosie's eyes widened in realization. "You're…Rosiepuff…"

The older troll's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and mild suspicion. "How do you know my name?"

Rosie gasped. "Oh my gosh! You're her! You're Rosiepuff! I found you! I found you! Yes!" She whooped and cheered and wrapped her arms around the older troll.

"Yes, you found me." Rosiepuff said, laughing nervously. "And you are…?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Rosie squealed happily. She hugged her great-grandmother tightly. "I knew you were alive! I just knew it! No nasty Bergen ever ate you! You got away!"

"And you're _really_ freaking me out, sweet pea." Rosiepuff said.

Rosie gasped and jumped back. "Sorry. I'm just so excited! What are you doing out here?"

"Well I _was_ running away from—" Rosiepuff stopped herself. "Wait, you still haven't told me who you are! Or how you know me! What's a little girl like you doing way out here?"

"I'll have you know I am fourteen years old." Rosie said proudly. "And I'm out here looking for you! My name is Rosie, and I'm—"

Rosiepuff's eyes went over Rosie's head, and she screamed. She turned to run, but Reaper swooped in and his talons narrowly missed Rosie's hat. She stared in horror as Reaper practically landed on Rosiepuff. The black bird lifted one of his feet, hissing at his catch. Rosiepuff struggled to break free from the strong toes and sharp talons.

"You put me down this instant, you feather-brained freak of nature!" Rosiepuff shouted.

Blackwood hopped down from Reaper's back and walked up to Rosiepuff. He smirked. "Aw, Rosiepuff, trying to run away again? That's not very smart, you know." He waggled a finger teasingly into Rosiepuff's face, and she promptly bit his hand. "Ouch!" Blackwood yelped, waving his now-pained hand. "I hate it when you do that. Reaper! Take her back to the tree."

The dark phoenix spread his wings and took off. Rosie stared at Rosiepuff, wanting to run after her. Rosiepuff locked eyes with Rosie, and she mouthed out "Run." Rosie knew she couldn't. She accomplished her mission. Well, at least the first part. Now she had to think of how to save her great-grandmother.

"Well done, little one." Blackwood congratulated Rosie, patting her shoulder. "That's not the first time one of my prisoners has escaped."

"How'd you come across that one?" Rosie asked as she followed Blackwood back towards the tree.

"She belongs to me." Blackwood answered simply.

Rosie didn't like that answer, for more reasons than one. _She won't be yours much longer. I'll make sure of that._

When they arrived back at Blackwood's tree, Cooper and Bliss waited for them. Cooper and Bliss looked up as Reaper flew overhead with Rosiepuff still in his talons. Reaper flew to the sturdier branches of the tree, and he dropped Rosiepuff down the hole Cooper, Bliss, and Rosie fell into earlier that evening.

"Well done." Blackwood said. "Glad we took care of that quickly."

"We were happy to help." Bliss said. "And now that it's over, I think we should be leaving."

"Why don't I escort you home?" Blackwood offered.

"No, no." Rosie assured. "That isn't necessary."

"You sure? You don't need a map or anything?" Blackwood asked.

"No, we'll be all right. We've intruded enough, and you were kind enough to offer us food." Rosie assured. "It has come to my attention that we left our packs back in the forest, and we must go find them."

"If you could just point out a shortcut out of here, that would be great." Cooper said.

"Not a problem." Blackwood waved a hand dismissively. "You just go down this path, take a right, then a left, then another left, then go over the creek, then under the bramble bushes, then two rights, then three lefts, then go straight ahead, and if you reach a cliff edge, you took too many lefts."

"Wonderful." Rosie said. "Well, thank you again, Mr. Blackwood."

"Farewell!" Blackwood waved them off and disappeared into his tree home.

Once Rosie, Cooper, and Bliss were far enough away, Rosie stopped and looked back. "Uh, Rosie? What'd you stop for?" Cooper asked.

"Why else? To make a plan so we can go back." Rosie said.

"Go back?" Bliss gawked. "Are you insane? We're not going back to where that crazy guy lives! I thought we were going home and getting our packs on the way!"

"Did you forget that we dropped our packs when Blackwood's trap launched us into the air?" Rosie guessed. "Our packs are back at that tree, and we're going back to get them and free Rosiepuff and Creek."

"I'm with Rosie." Cooper announced, surprising Bliss. "Look, I know the story of how Rosiepuff was taken. Her getting stolen was the reason Branch turned grey. We _have_ to bring her back. But I don't think we should go back without reinforcements."

"Okay, I can agree with that." Bliss said. "We need your parents, Rosie. Or at least the rest of the Snack Pack. Or maybe a couple Bergens."

"There's no time!" Rosie protested. "Blackwood might amp up security while we're gone. Or nobody will believe us. I mean, come on. Who's going to believe us when we say that two trolls thought to be dead are alive and being held captive by a sorcerer?"

"Okay, that's a _little_ far-fetched-sounding." Cooper admitted. "Even if it came from someone like me."

"But it's too dangerous to go alone." Bliss protested. "We need to get help."

"We need to act now." Rosie insisted. "Blackwood won't be expecting Rosiepuff and Creek to escape so soon after failing. With our help, they can get away. This is what Creek called me for. I have to save them."

Cooper and Bliss looked in the direction of home. "Rosie, this isn't a job for a couple of teenage girls and a llama." Bliss said. "No offense, Cooper."

"None taken." Cooper said. "We need Branch. He's a survivalist and a trained fighter. He knows how to do these things better than we do."

"We don't have time and my dad will never believe us!" Rosie crossed her arms stubbornly. "Besides, Dad won't want to believe his grandma is still alive. We must bring Grandma to him. You guys don't have to come with me if you really don't want to. But I'm going back whether you join me or not."

Cooper sighed. "I hate it when you do that." He looked back towards Blackwood's tree. "Fine. Let's go save her."

"Yeah, I'm in." Bliss agreed reluctantly. "I'm certainly not walking through his forest by myself. But tell me you have a plan, Rosie."

Rosie thought for a moment. "Not yet, but I think I'm getting close to a plan." She lit up with an idea. "Yeah! I got it!"

"What's the plan?" Cooper asked.

"Well, the main thing we need to do is find a way in without alerting Blackwood to our presence." Rosie said. "We can't go in through the front door. It's too obvious. We can't go through the tunnel leading to the trap because it will alert Blackwood that we're in the tree. But what if there's another way in? Reaper can fit into the tree just enough to sleep in a burrow or something. Blackwood might be able to get into that burrow to feed Reaper."

"So, we enter through the bird house?" Bliss summarized.

"Yep!" Rosie nodded. "We can sneak in through there, and I'll bet Creek knows a quick way out."

"Well, we got a plan." Cooper steeled his nerves. "Let's do this."

* * *

After falling into the trap cage, Blackwood moved Rosiepuff back to her original cell. Unlike the other enclosures, this one had some soft bedding for its prisoner. Rosiepuff sat on the ground, away from the bedding, leaning against the wall. She covered her ears to block out the sound of Blackwood punishing Creek. The teenaged grey troll didn't scream anymore when Blackwood beat him. But the sound of a whip cracking or a club hitting a body made Rosiepuff's skin crawl.

Light streamed into the dungeon area, and Rosiepuff looked up to see the door to the dungeon slowly swinging open. She uncovered her ears, and she glared harshly when Blackwood entered.

"Now don't look at me like that, Rosiepuff." Blackwood sighed, sitting down in front of the bars to Rosiepuff's cage. "Creek deserved what he got. You're the one who tried to get away. _Again_."

Rosiepuff didn't speak. She still glared at him.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know." Blackwood continued. "Don't you understand how dangerous that was? What if something else found you instead of Reaper and me?"

"I would rather face the monsters of the Western Woods than stay with you." Rosiepuff growled. She didn't dare turn her back on him.

"You don't mean that." Blackwood said. "You're saying that because you're angry. But you don't mean it."

Rosiepuff crossed her arms, her frown seemingly permanent.

"Come now, let's see a pretty smile out of you." Blackwood tutted. "You're so much prettier when you smile." He reached out to touch her face. Before he could lay a hand on her skin, Rosiepuff grabbed his wrist and bent it at a painful angle. Blackwood yelped and gasped in pain. "My, what a grip you have! Why are you so strong?" He pulled his hand free and flexed his fingers. "How do you do that?"

Rosiepuff still didn't answer him. Her glare appeared fiery now.

"Fine. Then you will go without dinner tonight for running away again." Blackwood said. He stood and brushed off his tunic. He kept his posture straight and his head held high as he marched from the room.

Rosiepuff glared after him hatefully. "Rotten little pile of Bergen poop." She perked up in confusion when the door opened again. This time, someone slipped inside and shut the door quickly. Rosiepuff shifted to a kneeling position and moved close to the bars of her cage. "Creek?"

"Good evening." Creek groaned in pain, holding his side as he limped towards Rosiepuff.

"Oh, he got you good, didn't he?" Rosiepuff moaned pitifully. It looked like Blackwood used the whip today. Creek had scratch marks on his arms, chest, and even across one cheek.

Creek knelt on the floor. Only the bars of the cage separated him and Rosiepuff. "It's okay. It doesn't hurt nearly as bad it used to."

"Use your crystal." Rosiepuff urged. Creek nodded slowly and unclipped the fiery orange crystal from around his neck. He cupped his hands around it and breathed into the crystal. The gem began to glow like a candle fire. Creek used the pointed end of the crystal to trace over the cuts from the whip. As he did, the cuts closed and healed in seconds. Rosiepuff took the still-glowing crystal to get the cuts on Creek's back. Once he was fully healed, Creek blew on the crystal to make the light go out, and he clipped the magic crystal around his neck again.

"Thanks for the help." Creek said.

Rosiepuff smiled softly and put a hand on Creek's cheek lovingly. "Happy I could. I hate seeing you suffer like that."

Creek shrugged. "Maybe I deserve it. Maybe I just don't deserve the kindness you give."

"Now stop that, Creek." Rosiepuff scolded gently, lighting smacking Creek's head. "You always do this when Blackwood hurts you like that. You slip back into your old thoughts and habits. It's not something I like to see."

"I know." Creek sighed. "Believe me, I am so thankful for your friendship."

"More than a friend." Rosiepuff assured. "You've been family to me for several years now. I want you to at least try to act like it."

Creek shrugged again. "We need to think of our next escape plan. Blackwood will increase security after today."

"He'll do that within a few days." Rosiepuff said thoughtfully. "We would have to move fast."

"Or we need to stall Blackwood for longer." Creek mused. "This time, he paused long enough to throw food and cutlery at me. Reaper caught you escaping. How?"

"Apparently he wasn't out flying long enough." Rosiepuff huffed. "Flew back towards the tree right as I got out."

"Then maybe you need to move while Reaper is still in the tree. Take advantage of the blind spots." Creek said. "And I can make Blackwood mad enough at me that—"

"That what? He kills you on sight?" Rosiepuff scoffed. "That's not happening, Creek. Not a chance."

"But if I can distract him with his favorite pastime—beating me up—then you can escape." Creek said. "You have to go home."

"And I'm not going home without you." Rosiepuff insisted. "You're coming back with me to the other trolls, and that's final."

"We've been over this, Rosiepuff." Creek said with frustration in his tone. "I don't have anything left in the troll village. There is nothing and no one waiting for me. Even Poppy won't be waiting for me. But you have a family. Branch is there. He's going to be so happy to see you. Not a single troll will be happy to see me."

"I can think of someone who will." Rosiepuff said with a knowing grin.

Creek sighed heavily. "No. Not even her."

"But she's your—"

"Just because she raised me doesn't mean she cares about me!"

"That's not true and you know it."

"…..yeah, I know….."

"I'm still standing by my decision, Creek." Rosiepuff said. "If I'm going back home, you're coming with me."

"You can come with us!"

Rosiepuff and Creek jumped, almost unable to stop their shouts of surprise. They whipped around to the door, where Rosie, Cooper, and Bliss stood. Bliss and Rosie had their hands clamped over Cooper's mouth to keep him quiet.

"That was way too loud, Uncle Cooper!" Rosie hissed.

"We're just lucky Blackwood's already asleep!" Bliss snapped quietly.

Creek stood quickly, staring at the trio. "Rosie?"

Rosie grinned and ran forward to hug Creek. "Thank you, Creek. Thank you for leading me here."

Creek didn't hug Rosie back, feeling a little awkward. "I'm just glad you answered the call."

"Creek, who is this?" Rosiepuff demanded as she stood. "How do you know her?"

"I was trying to dream-speak with Poppy, and I ended up calling her daughter instead." Creek explained.

"I'm Rosie." Rosie introduced herself to Rosiepuff again. "I'm your great-granddaughter. I'm Branch's kid!"

Rosiepuff's eyes widened. "So…Branch….he's okay?"

"He's better than okay!" Rosie assured.

"He married Poppy, and that's their little girl." Cooper said, nodding to Rosie.

"Wait, wait, Poppy _married_ Branch?" Creek gawked. "Did he lose a bet or something? Did King Peppy order it?"

"They were married because they were in love." Bliss snapped. "Something you don't know a lot about."

Creek glared at her. "Believe me, I know more about love than you will ever know."

"All right, enough!" Rosie snapped.

Rosiepuff still stared at Rosie. "You're…..you're my grandson's little girl…"

Rosie smiled at her, taking Rosiepuff's hands in her own. "I'm taking you home now. Nothing's going to stop me. Bliss, time for your part of the plan."

"I'm on it." Bliss approached the door to Rosiepuff's cage and pulled out a metal pin from her hair. It wasn't a barrette or actual hairpiece. This was Bliss's lock-picking tool that she always kept tucked in her ponytail holder for safekeeping. Bliss took a look at the lock on the door. She scoffed. "This guy knows magic but can't choose a good lock? Amateur." She picked the lock in seconds, and Rosiepuff practically jumped out.

"This way." Rosie waved them towards the door.

"No, wait!" Rosiepuff said quickly. She pointed down the hallway and deeper into the dungeon. "This way is better. A clearer shot to the outside. We'll take the route I took."

"All right, we'll go that way." Rosie decided.

"You go ahead." Creek said. "I'll catch up."

"What do you think you're going to do?" Bliss demanded.

"I have to take care of something." Creek said.

"Like tell Blackwood what we're doing?" Cooper guessed in a bitter tone.

"If you don't trust me, come with me!" Creek snapped. "But there's not a lot of time!"

Rosie snapped her fingers to get everyone's attention. They still whispered to avoid being heard; but if they kept this up, Blackwood would find them in no time. "Listen, here's the plan. Cooper, go with Creek to do whatever it is he needs to do. Bliss, Grandma, and I will wait here until you get back. Hurry!"

Creek and Cooper darted away. At Creek's guidance, they arrived at a broom closet that held a broom, a feather duster, and backpack that looked stuffed to the brim.

"What is this?" Cooper asked.

"My room." Creek said simply.

Cooper blinked. "This is your room? Like where you sleep?"

"Curled up in a ball and uncomfortable, yes." Creek said. He pulled the backpack on and strapped it to fit snugly on his torso.

"What is that?" Cooper asked suspiciously.

"All the books and spells that Blackwood found useless." Creek said. "Don't worry. These are all the helpful and peaceful spells that cause no harm." He closed the closet door and speed-walked away. Cooper scrambled to keep up.

"Why did you steal those things?" Cooper asked.

"Because Blackwood didn't want them." Creek said. "So I'm going to save them for someone who will actually use them."

"Oh, that's nice." Cooper said uncertainly. "So, are we going back to the girls now?"

"Not yet." Creek stayed close to the wall. Cooper followed his example, for the sake of staying hidden from Blackwood. Creek led Cooper into another room. To the llama's surprise, this room was filled with books, a cauldron, and an entire bookshelf of liquids and potion ingredients.

"Okay, what is _this_ place?" Cooper asked.

"Blackwood's spellcasting chambers, where he practices and studies his magic." Creek moved while he talked, tearing pages from books and arranging them into piles around the room. He paused when he saw the window nearby covered by a plate of tree bark. "What's that about?"

"We sealed up every exit and entrance with bark and tree sap!" Cooper said proudly. "The only way out is the way we decide!"

Creek froze after lighting a match. "What? Aw man. That might not be good." He started lighting the piles of paper. Cooper stole a glance at the pages, and he saw some pretty deadly-looking spells. Creek tossed the match aside once he lit the papers.

"You're destroying the bad spells." Cooper realized.

"Yes, now let's go!" Creek urged. "We have to get out of here."

"But you're…..you're helping—"

"Yeah, I'm helping! Because I'm not the same troll who betrayed you. But you don't believe me. I understand. I don't blame you for that."

Cooper looked down as he and Creek hurried back to the dungeon. "Sorry, Creek. It's just kind of confusing. I never thought I'd see you this way. You're so…..so…"

Creek glared at him. "Grey?"

"Different." Cooper corrected. "But I feel like the Creek I remember is still under those grey eyes."

"You mean the traitor." Creek scoffed. He yelped a little when Cooper shoved him.

"I mean my friend!" Cooper hissed. "Someone I knew I could trust. Now that changed when you sold us out, but I'm starting to see the old Creek I knew. Whether or not that changes how I feel about you, I just don't know yet."

Creek sighed. "Look, I'm just here to get Rosiepuff home. That's all."

"Really?" Cooper asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because we heard what Rosiepuff said. She wants you to come home too, and she sounds stubborn about it." He noticed a troubled look in Creek's eyes, and he sighed. "I want to bring Rosiepuff home. She's family to me. We can figure you out later."

"Fine." Creek muttered.

Cooper stared at Creek as they snuck back to the dungeon. He didn't know what to make of his former friend. He kept thinking back to how Creek betrayed them, how he hurt Poppy and almost caused the complete destruction of the trolls. But when Cooper actually looked at Creek—when he saw that greyness and all those scars and those dead eyes—he felt sorry for Creek.

It was like looking at Grey Branch all over again.

* * *

"Finally!" Rosie sighed when the boys returned.

"Just warming Blackwood up for his surprise." Creek said with a joking smirk.

"Nice one." Cooper chuckled.

"All right, this way!" Rosiepuff led the way as they dashed down the hallway and deeper into the dungeon.

"Exactly how are we going to escape this way?" Bliss asked.

"Just trust me!" Rosiepuff assured. She slowed down and scanned the cages around them. "There!"

A bird squawk made everyone else jump, and they recoiled at the sight of a large, fiery red bird. It looked like Reaper, except a different color. The bird hissed at them.

"What is that thing?" Bliss demanded.

"That is a phoenix. Relax, she won't hurt you." Rosiepuff tried to shush the bird, to no avail. "Bliss, can you get this cage open?"

"Are you nuts?" Bliss gulped at the sight of the phoenix's sharp talons.

"Bliss, just do it." Rosie said reassuringly. "Trust her."

Bliss didn't know if she could. It looked like Rosiepuff was about to do something stupid. _She really is Rosie's great-grandmother._ Bliss sighed. "Okay, fine. But it better not eat me."

"She." Rosiepuff corrected.

"Right. She." Bliss gulped. She unlocked the bird's cage, which for some reason had a better lock than Rosiepuff's prison. Rosiepuff stepped through the door. The fiery-colored bird hissed and clapped her beak at Rosiepuff.

"Easy, Symphony." Rosiepuff spoke calmly and moved slowly. "It's all right. You may not remember me, but I knew your old master. She was very dear to me."

As Rosiepuff spoke, the phoenix steadily began to relax. Her previously ruffled feathers settled, and her intelligent eyes stared intently at Rosiepuff.

"That's a good girl." Rosiepuff held a hand out. Symphony lowered her head and took a sniff. Then, she nuzzled her head against Rosiepuff, almost knocking her over. Rosiepuff laughed, hugging the phoenix. "Bliss? Get her out of those chains. We're flying out of here in style."

Bliss felt a little more comfortable now that Symphony was calm. She went to unlock the chains around the phoenix's feet. She didn't say it out loud, but it made her blood boil to see the beautiful bird's legs chaffed and a bit bloody from her restraints. Once Symphony was free, Bliss worked on the door leading to outside while the rest of the trolls climbed onto Symphony's back.

Suddenly, an explosion rippled through the tree, making it shake.

"That would be my little surprise I left for Blackwood." Creek said.

"Come on, Bliss!" Rosie urged as Bliss pushed the cage door open. "We're getting out of here!"

Bliss jumped up and Symphony helped push her to the others. Symphony hopped out of the hole and spread her wings to glide to the ground. The phoenix stretched her wings and flapped them a few times.

"What's the holdup?" Cooper asked in a panicked tone.

"She's been locked up for almost forty years!" Rosiepuff snapped. "You think she can just fly right out of that cramped space?"

"Heads up!" Creek warned. Symphony jumped aside as a flaming branch hit the ground where she once stood. A large chunk of the tree was in flames now. Reaper had awoken too, and he screeched as he set his sights on Symphony and the escaping trolls.

"Come on, Symphony!" Rosiepuff urged. The phoenix started flying, staying low to the ground at first but gradually gaining height. Reaper followed them. He swooped down with his talons aimed to grab one of the trolls.

"Duck!" Rosie yelped. Everyone pressed themselves close to Symphony's feathers, and Reaper's claws whooshed past their heads.

"We won't be able to out-fly him!" Creek warned. "Symphony isn't strong enough yet!"

"Then we'll have to outsmart him!" Rosie scanned the forest as it rushed past her. "There! Head for that tree!"

Rosiepuff looked ahead and saw a rather large tree with a hole just big enough for Symphony to fit in. She steered the phoenix towards it while Reaper stayed right on their tail. Symphony flapped her wings harder, pushing her farther and farther along to get to the tree hole sooner. Reaper flew upwards and then dived. This time, he scraped his wing across Symphony's back, and he managed to knock Rosiepuff and Cooper right off the phoenix. The two trolls fell right towards some thorny bushes, and Reaper dived after them.

"Stop!" Creek ordered. Symphony noticed her fallen riders, and she quickly landed on a tree branch. She stared at Rosiepuff anxiously.

"What are we going to do?" Bliss asked. "That thing will follow us all the way to the Troll Tree!"

"Not if he doesn't see where we're going." Rosie's mind raced. "I think I have another idea!"

Rosiepuff and Cooper landed in the bushes before Reaper could grab them, giving them at least a little protection. Reaper still tried to reach through the thorns to grab them. Cooper bravely put himself between the dark phoenix and Rosiepuff, even though his knees knocked together in fear. But he managed to gather some courage and bit Reaper's toe when the bird reached towards them again.

"Well done, Cooper!" Rosiepuff said, impressed. "I didn't know you had that in you."

Cooper sputtered and spit a few times. "He don't taste very good."

Reaper suddenly jutted his foot into the brambles again, causing Cooper to jump. He accidentally pushed into Rosiepuff and they both fell off the branch they stood on. Luckily, Cooper landed on another one farther down, and he managed to catch Rosiepuff too.

"You all right?" Rosiepuff asked.

"I'm fine." Cooper caught sight of something red. "You're bleeding!"

Rosiepuff looked to her arm, where one of the thorns on the bush left a semi-deep gash. "It's fine. I'll live." They jumped again at Reaper's screech. "Don't you ever give up you stinking pile of feathers?!"

"Uh, Grandma Rosiepuff? I don't think it's smart to tease that thing." Cooper gulped. "What do we do?"

"I'm thinking!" Rosiepuff looked around. There was nothing but brambles all around them. Reaper would follow no matter where they went. And what happened to Symphony and the others?

She soon got her answer when Symphony tackled Reaper from above, shoving him into the thorns. Reaper screeched in pain as the thorns pierced his flesh and became stuck there. Still grasping Reaper firmly in her talons, Symphony yanked him from the brambles and bashed his head into a nearby tree. Reaper fell limply to the ground. Symphony hovered above him, screeching in a sort of victory cry. She landed on the ground as Rosiepuff and Cooper tentatively emerged.

"Is it dead?" Cooper asked.

"I doubt it." Rosie said. "I think Symphony just knocked it out. Let's get out of here." Rosiepuff and Cooper quickly climbed back onto Symphony, and the phoenix took off into the night sky.

"Which way do we go?" Creek asked.

"Anywhere." Rosiepuff said, still steering. "As long as it's far away from here."


	8. Creek's Rebirth

**A/N: I'm updating again just because I want you all to have some more answers regarding Creek's situation. Just a warning: this is a long chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight – Creek's Rebirth**

Even in darkness, Symphony could find her way out of the Western Woods and landed by a stream in the nicer part of the forest. She collapsed to the ground from exhaustion, as did the trolls riding her when they slid off her back. Everyone panted, the cool night air relieving their burning lungs. Their hearts pounded and their muscles felt like jelly. The adrenaline from the chase long since wore off.

Then, someone started laughing. Rosiepuff jumped to her feet, suddenly full of energy again, and she whooped and cheered and spun around.

"Creek! We're free!" She laughed, pulling the teenaged grey troll into a hug. "We're finally free!"

Creek started to smile too, and he laughed. "We did it! We got out of there!"

"Take that, Blackwood!" Rosiepuff shouted into the air. Creek blew a raspberry at nothing in particular. Rosiepuff laughed again and collapsed onto the ground, leaning against a rock by the water. She sighed heavily. Her eyes became watery as she stared at the sky. "Have the stars always been so bright and beautiful?"

Creek sat beside her, patting her shoulder. "Just wait until you see the sun again." His eyes traveled to her arm, where she still bled from her fall through the brambles, and his eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" He pulled off the crystal around his neck and used it to heal the injury. He took some water from the stream to clean away the blood, fretfully checking Rosiepuff for other damages.

"Relax, Creek." Rosiepuff laughed. "I'm fine." She looked to the others. "Anyone else hurt?"

"Uh, I think I stepped on a thorn." Cooper lifted up his foot to show the injury on his sole. Creek cleaned that cut too and healed it with the crystal.

"What is that?" Rosie asked.

Creek deactivated the crystal's magic and clipped it back around his neck. "It's called a Phoenix Tear Crystal. Phoenix tears have incredible healing abilities. Blackwood made this crystal, but he considered it a failure because it healed instead of harmed. I never let it out of my sight. Proves to be quite useful after Blackwood beats me."

"He beat you?" Rosie's eyebrows furrowed and she frowned angrily.

"Maybe you deserve it." Bliss muttered.

Rosiepuff glared at Bliss. "Creek has suffered enough for his past mistakes. What Blackwood did to him was inexcusable."

"I think we should just start heading home." Cooper suggested. "We can worry about what will happen to Creek on the way there."

"Creek is coming home with us." Rosiepuff said firmly. She held up a hand to stop Creek from protesting. "That's my final word on the matter, Creek. You're coming home even if I have to drag you there."

"I'm not sure Queen Poppy or King Branch or anybody will like that." Bliss warned.

"Then they'll have to deal with it." Rosiepuff said.

"Enough." Creek demanded. "Look, I promised I would get you home, Rosiepuff. So I will make sure we all get back to the trolls safely. I will consider staying on the way there."

"Speaking of which, how do we get home from here?" Bliss asked. "Rosie?"

Rosie looked around. She finally got a real look at their surroundings. "Uh…"

"What do you mean 'uh'?!" Cooper whimpered.

"Well, everything looks different in the dark!" Rosie said. "I don't recognize anything."

"Don't you have a map?" Bliss asked.

"No. Even if I did, I still can't recognize anything." Rosie said.

"Then let's make camp." Creek suggested. "In the morning, we can start heading back home."

"Rosie is in charge here." Cooper said in a bit of a scolding tone. "Rosie?"

Rosie looked around the forest again. "I won't be able to see any landmarks until morning. We'll make camp. Grandma and I will stay with Symphony and set up a perimeter. Bliss, Cooper, and Creek will go get firewood and find something to eat. Wait, you guys know what's safe to eat in the forest, right?"

"We got the same lesson from Branch, so yeah!" Cooper said confidently.

"We'll take care of it." Bliss assured. She and Cooper headed into the trees, hardly slowing down so Creek could catch up.

Rosie looked to her great-grandmother. Rosiepuff kept staring at everything around her as though seeing it for the first time. It seemed so unreal to be standing here with her. Rosie saw so many pictures, and this moment felt like a dream. It did seem rather strange that Rosiepuff looked the same age she did in the pictures Rosie saw.

Rosiepuff felt someone's arms around her, and she looked down to Rosie hugging her. She wrapped her arms around the young troll with a smile. "Thank you, Rosie. Thank you _so much._ I owe you my life."

"I'm just glad I found you." Rosie sighed. "Dad's going to be so happy. But I have so many questions."

"All in due time." Rosiepuff promised. "I'll tell everyone the full story once we get home."

"I can't wait to hear it." Rosie said. "But I am worried about Creek. I don't think Mom and Dad will be happy to see him."

"You let me worry about that." Rosiepuff assured. "Just focus on getting us home tomorrow."

* * *

Cooper and Creek took care of gathering the firewood while Bliss picked some non-poisonous berries off the bushes close to them. They only had the moonlight to guide them, and they stayed near the stream so they could follow it back to Rosie, Rosiepuff, and Symphony.

Creek kept glancing to Bliss, and Cooper frowned. "What are you doing that for?"

"Just making sure I can see the both of you." Creek said.

"Why?" Cooper demanded.

"Relax, Mate." Creek said. "I just don't want anything to happen to you two."

Cooper wanted to argue that Creek didn't really care. Except he could hear the sincerity in Creek's tone. It was shocking enough to see Creek grey, and even more surprising to see him a teenager. To hear him speak about protection—after he was the one who sold them out in the first place—made Cooper's head spin.

"Creek, what are you going to do?" Cooper asked. It wasn't in an accusing or mocking way. He asked with genuine curiosity. "Say the trolls forgive you. That doesn't mean Poppy and Branch will."

Creek sighed heavily. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Cooper. I just don't know. Yes, I know I'll probably be kicked out the second I get back. But what about Rosiepuff? She expects me to come with her and return to the village. She treats me like family."

"Why?" Cooper asked.

"I guess we bonded while we were prisoners to Blackwood." Creek said.

"How'd she end up there anyway?" Cooper asked.

"I don't know. But I know she's been there far longer than I have." Creek said. He had a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Blackwood…..he didn't treat her like he treated his other prisoners. Call me crazy, but I think he was in love with her."

Cooper blinked in surprise. "What? Why keep her locked up if he's in love with her?"

"I don't know what to make of it." Creek said. "It's quite puzzling."

Bliss's scream caused the boys to spin around, and they saw the girl hurriedly backing away from a tarantapuff. The spider hissed as it scuttled closer to her. Before Cooper could react, Creek moved first. The grey troll sprinted forward, scooping up a long stick that he used as a staff to whack across the tarantapuff's face. Cooper darted after and pulled Bliss away while Creek continued to hit the spider. Bliss and Cooper stared in awe at the fight. Creek jumped and kicked and punched and fought in a way Cooper _never_ saw out of the formerly peaceful and Zen-like troll. In no time at all, the tarantapuff scurried away in fear. Creek dropped his makeshift staff, brushed off his hands, and went back to retrieve his firewood.

"Well come on." Creek beckoned Cooper and Bliss towards him. The two trolls finally shook off their shock and hurried after Creek.

"That was…" Bliss couldn't find the right words.

"Amazing!" Cooper breathed.

Creek shrugged. "Just something I picked up while living as a slave. Nothing big."

Whether he meant to or not, his comment sort of killed the moment. Bliss wouldn't look his way the entire walk back to the camp, a bit conflicted over what just happened. She didn't want to trust Creek, yet she couldn't ignore the fact that he just saved her life.

Once a fire was made and everyone ate, Rosie, Bliss, and Cooper told Rosiepuff and Creek about the Troll Tree and how the trolls and Bergens lived together in harmony. When they heard of Branch singing and helping Poppy save everyone, Rosiepuff and Creek looked both surprised and delighted. But knowing that trolls and Bergens lived side-by-side shocked them to disbelief.

"I don't see how that is possible." Rosiepuff scoffed. "The Bergens are monsters."

"Nah, they were just unhappy and didn't know what happiness was." Rosie said.

"You should see them now." Bliss said. "They've stopped eating us now that they know how to find happiness inside themselves."

"I wouldn't step foot in Bergen Town even if you paid me." Creek said.

"Well that's where the Troll Tree and home is." Cooper laughed. "So you're going."

Rosiepuff didn't really like that idea. But she hated the thought of being away from Branch any longer than she already had. "Tell me about Branch. How was he when…..when I was…"

"He didn't do that great." Cooper admitted. "He turned grey. But Poppy helped him! And now he's cool."

Rosiepuff stared at the fire. "Do you think…should I even go back?"

"Of course!" Rosie gasped in shock. "Why would you think otherwise?"

"Well, suppose he's angry at me for being gone for so long." Rosiepuff suggested. "You did tell me he turned grey because of me."

"Yeah, because getting your grandma taken by a monster Bergen is scary to a kid." Cooper said. "Trust me, he's going to be happy to see you."

Nodding slowly, Rosiepuff relaxed again. "Then tell me how he is now. He's happy again?"

"He loves to sing and dance and do all the normal troll things." Rosie said.

"He's actually a pretty good dancer." Cooper said. "He also gave us all these survival and self-defense lessons."

As Cooper and Rosie explained Branch's lessons, Bliss noticed Creek apparently disappeared. It didn't take long to find him sitting on a rock near the stream. He sat in a meditative position, yet his body language indicated he was tense. Bliss quietly backed away from the rest of the traveling party and climbed up onto the rock to sit next to Creek.

"Um, Creek?" Bliss cleared her throat. "I didn't say this before, but thank you. For, you know, saving me from those spiders."

Creek opened his eyes and relaxed out of his forceful meditation. "I'm glad I was there to save you."

"But how did you learn to fight like that?" Bliss asked. "Based on the story I heard, you don't seem too brave."

"Things change. People change." Creek said. "At least that's the hope. And I have changed. I hope I can show that to you and the others."

Bliss still didn't know if she could trust Creek. At the same time, it was hard to ignore the fact that Creek saved her life and brushed it off like it wasn't a big deal. "How'd you lose your colors?" She asked curiously.

"The same way any troll would lose their colors." Creek shrugged. "I hit a low point in my life. I lost everything and everyone I loved in a single moment of cowardice. When I found Blackwood, he promised to help me get my revenge. At the time, I thought that was what I wanted. The more time I spent with Blackwood, hearing him talk of his own quest for revenge, the more I realized I just didn't want to hurt anyone else. Blackwood kept me as a slave, and you've seen how he treated me."

Bliss fought to not look at Creek's scars. They were just too horrible for her liking. "But at least you learned how to fight."

Creek cracked a grin. "Indeed I did. I lost my happiness, but I regained my will to fight. I taught myself how to use weapons and I studied Blackwood's books in secret. And it wasn't just for me." He looked back to Rosiepuff, Rosie, and Cooper, still chatting merrily around the fire. "Rosiepuff is my only friend, the closest thing I have to family right now. When I heard her story and learned how she was taken, I vowed she would not spend any more time in that cage. I promised myself I would get her home, and protect everyone she loves."

"You realize that means you have to come back to the Troll Tree." Bliss pointed out. "You'll have to find a place to live there so you can keep your promise."

"I know." Creek ran his fingers through his hair anxiously. "I don't think I can avoid coming back. I'm just afraid of how Branch and Poppy will react. I know they're still mad at me. I don't blame them. But I can't just leave Rosiepuff behind."

Bliss stared at the ground. "I can't tell you what to do, Creek. But I think the first step to showing you've changed is keeping your promise to protect Rosiepuff and her family, even if some of her family doesn't want your help."

She left it at that, and the young teen slid down the rock and returned to the others. Cooper looked up as Bliss joined in Rosie and Rosiepuff's conversation. Cooper looked to Creek, who stared off into the distance with a thoughtful gaze. Inside, Cooper felt conflicted. Creek's betrayal hit the entire Snack Pack hard, almost as hard as it hit Poppy. Cooper had an urge to kick Creek into the stream and leave him stranded in the forest. But look at all he had done. Creek destroyed Blackwood's magic room; helped them escape Blackwood's tree; saved Bliss's life when the tarantapuff attacked; he was the one who contacted Rosie in the first place to beg for help. It was either genuine or an elaborate plot to hurt everyone all over again. Cooper just didn't know if he could trust Creek or not.

Symphony offered a wing for a blanket as the trolls settled down to sleep. Rosie snuggled up close to her great-grandmother. Cooper and Bliss soon drifted off to dreamland. Rosiepuff hummed a lullaby to help Rosie fall asleep, and she encouraged Creek to do the same. Soon, everyone slept except Creek.

The troll in question stared up at the stars. So much of him changed. Physically, he was now about sixteen years old and grey and black in color. Emotionally, he felt torn. His desire to protect Rosiepuff and Rosie clashed with his fear of how Branch, Poppy, and the other trolls would react to his return.

At times like this, Creek wondered what would've happened if he never met Blackwood.

* * *

 _After what felt like hours, the cart carrying Chef and Creek came to a stop atop a hill. It had been quite the wild ride: over hills, through trees, across a chasm, and all while the pot Chef rode in was on fire. Creek took a moment to determine they weren't moving again, and he sighed in relief. Then he heard a growl, and Creek froze._

 _He forgot about Chef._

 _Quite suddenly, Chef had Creek in her fist and brought him towards her mouth. "Ma'am, wait!" Creek pleaded. "Wait!"_

 _A rumbling underneath them made the pair gasp and freeze. They looked down as a pair of eyes popped up from the "hill." Then a mouth opened, and now they sat on the monster's tongue. Chef and Creek screamed as the tongue retracted, and they fell into the monster's mouth._

" _Not again!" Creek whimpered. He shot his hair up and wrapped it around one of the hill monster's teeth. The action abruptly halted his fall, and Creek curled up before Chef could make a grab for him. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears so he wouldn't have to witness Chef's unfortunate demise in the monster's stomach acids._

 _Once he felt it was safe, Creek relaxed and analyzed his situation. His hair still latched firmly to the hill monster's tooth. He retracted his hair as far as he could, but he still didn't have a place to sit or even stand. So he would have to dangle there for now, until the hill monster opened his mouth again and let Creek climb out. Except the hill monsters only opened their mouths for two reasons: to catch unsuspecting prey and to drink when it rained. The biggest downside for Creek was that hill monsters actually didn't eat that much. They could survive on very little food, hence the reason they could live without needing to move. But they also had special parts of their body that store water for the hotter months in the summer, so the hill monsters took every opportunity to open their mouths and collect rainwater. Creek's only sure way of escape was to wait for a rainy day. If he tried to escape while the hill monster caught prey, Creek himself might accidentally get impaled by the quick-snapping teeth._

 _Settling in his decision, Creek folded himself into a lotus position and tried to focus solely on meditation. He couldn't let himself fall asleep in case he fell, and if he stayed awake too long he would get dark circles under his eyes. By meditating, he could sense movement and still be well-rested._

 _The biggest problem with being stuck in the hill monster was no sense of time. Creek's mentor and surrogate mother Cybil could meditate for days at a time. Creek still hadn't quite mastered that level of stillness. When he couldn't focus on meditating, Creek would twiddle his thumbs or sing. He registered the feeling of sleepiness, but couldn't determine if it was even nighttime. He knew only one thing for sure: he did_ not _want to end up like Chef. So he meditated and he sang and he even kicked the hill monster's teeth. Anything to keep him from falling asleep._

 _Unfortunately, one of the things keeping him awake was the memory of his betrayal to the trolls. Now that he had time to think, he had time to wonder why on earth he would sell out his entire tribe. Well, obviously he was lying at first when he told Chef he would do anything to avoid being eaten. He was just trying to buy time until he could help the others escape. Yes, of course! And then Chef did something to him to make him betray his friends and the one he loved. Yes, that's what happened. As soon as he escaped, he would tell Poppy this, and she'd forgive him._

* * *

 _After who-knows-how-long, the hill monster's lips parted, and rain poured into its mouth. The chill of the rain shocked Creek out of his tiredness, and he pulled himself out of the mouth as quickly as he could. He slid down the hill and to the ground, and then he ran away as fast as his legs would carry him. When his legs gave out, he fell face-first into the mud. Creek drowsily dragged himself under a mushroom where he had adequate shelter. His exhaustion took over, and he fell asleep._

 _When Creek woke up, he saw it was already midafternoon. Who knows how long he had actually been asleep? He just knew he was rested and ready to eat something._

 _But as he looked around, Creek didn't see anything that looked good to eat. In fact, he didn't recognize this part of the forest at all. The trees were dark and mostly bare, and the only real plant life he could see were the mushrooms scattered around. The black-and-grey-colored mushrooms looked poisonous, so Creek wouldn't be eating those._

" _All right, stay calm and positive." Creek told himself. "Just head home and you can eat. I'll bet Poppy will shower me with cupcakes when she sees me again." He stood up a little taller, prouder, as he started walking._

 _By the time night fell, Creek felt even more lost. He didn't know where he was and he had no idea where to go. It started raining again, so he took shelter under another large mushroom. He leaned against the stalk and curled up in a ball._

 _All that time alone let Creek think about what he would say when he got back home. The more he thought about going home and back to Poppy, the more he feared what they might say about him. Would they believe him when he said he was only trying to buy himself time? And if he really wanted to save the rest of his friends, why did he not come up with a plan while stuck in King Gristle's amulet? He certainly had enough time to. When Chef set him down to lure out the trolls, why did he not just run away? Why did he hurt Poppy like he did? He loved her; and if he really loved her, why would he betray her like that? That look on her face, when she begged him not to do it and when he boop-ed her nose, haunted Creek. He blocked out the pain he felt at seeing that look. At first, he thought he blocked out that pain because he had to focus on his plan. But he had to admit to himself that he never had a plan. He sold out his entire tribe and left them behind to be eaten. Even after he led Chef to the trolls, she still locked him up in her fanny pack for whatever reason. Maybe she was planning to betray their deal, just like how he betrayed the one he loved. He hurt Poppy._

 _He_ hurt _Poppy._

 _For as long as Creek could remember, he loved Poppy. At least he told himself it was love. He felt protective, maybe even possessive of her. He always wanted to be near her. He enjoyed her voice, whether she talked or sang. Her kindness left him in awe. Her optimism could bring anyone out of their bad mood (except Branch, of course). She embodied all the best aspects of a troll. Poppy was Creek's friend and crush, and what appeared to be a romance had blossomed between them. Creek let that all go when he betrayed her. He coughed a few times, as though still feeling Poppy's pink locks around his throat._

 _The rain became so heavy that a puddle formed right in front of the mushroom Creek hid under. He knelt by the edge of the puddle and scooped up some water to drink. When he looked at his hands, his eyes widened. He stared at his reflection in the water._

 _His colors were gone. The only spots of color on him were his pants and his eyes._

 _Creek felt like his world crumbled around him. He was the troll other trolls turned to for advice and guidance. He was the one who exhibited confidence. Now he was just like Branch._

Ding _went Creek's green Hug Time bracelet. Except this time, he had no one to hug._

* * *

" _Excuse me."_

 _Creek jumped when he heard a voice, and he realized he fell asleep again. It was morning now. A heavy fog settled over the forest. An older troll stood before Creek, also grey and black in color. Even his clothes were black. He carried a basket on one arm filled with several jars that seemed to contain the fog itself._

" _Who are you?" Creek asked._

" _Blackwood, Sorcerer of the Western Woods." The troll greeted. "Who are you?"_

" _Creek." Something stood out about the introduction. "Wait, you live here? And you're a sorcerer?"_

" _Yes to both." Blackwood nodded. To prove it, he created a ball of fire in his palm. Whether it was true magic or some sort of trick with auras, Creek was still amazed. Blackwood extinguished the flames. "Now tell me what you're doing here."_

" _Well, I'm lost." Creek said. "Physically and emotionally. I don't really know what to do."_

" _How did you turn grey?" Blackwood asked. He seemed unaffected by Creek's pain. He didn't even show empathy._

 _Creek frowned. "Because I lost the one I love. Now I'm just like Branch."_

" _Who is Branch?" Blackwood asked._

" _The epitome of everything negative and depressing." Creek scoffed. "He's always so grumpy and toxic. Peppy should've banished him years ago."_

 _Blackwood stared at Creek for a moment. "Why don't you come home with me? We can work this out."_

 _Creek perked up, and he hurried after Blackwood. "Really?"_

" _You seem like you need a little help." Blackwood shrugged. "You don't like this Branch, do you?"_

" _Not really." Creek admitted._

" _He gets in your way." Blackwood guessed._

" _Sort of." Creek shrugged. Branch always tried to get in the way of the other trolls' happiness._

" _He belittles you." Blackwood added._

 _Creek got a little angry when he remembered how Branch scoffed at his yogi practices. "Yes."_

" _He doesn't appreciate you."_

" _Never."_

" _Tries to turn the others against you."_

" _Yes, sometimes."_

" _Attacked you too, I bet."_

" _Very recently."_

 _Blackwood grinned. "I will help you, Creek. I will help you get your revenge."_

 _Creek couldn't remember when he felt so angry. His fists clenched and his breathing quickened. "You will?"_

" _You show potential. So I will teach you magic." Blackwood said. "If you wish."_

" _Yes!" Creek said immediately. "Teach me what you know."_

 _Blackwood nodded. "Very well."_

* * *

 _Creek didn't really know what he was getting himself into. But the thought of revenge on Branch seemed so desirable. He thought back to when Branch choked him, and Poppy pulled him away. But then when Poppy choked him, Branch did nothing. Surely that meant Branch poisoned Poppy's sweet mind with thoughts of violence. Branch was trying to take Poppy away from Creek. So clearly Creek needed revenge._

 _Blackwood took Creek back to his tree home and showed Creek his room: the broom closet. Creek had thought about protesting, but shrugged it off. Cybil taught him to live minimally before. He could survive now. When he learned enough magic, he would use it to expand his living space and be more comfortable. He wasn't sure about Blackwood changing his pants from yellow to black, but he could live with that too. Just for now. He'd regain his colors soon enough and then he wouldn't be grey like Branch._

 _According to Blackwood, Creek first needed to learn how to work to build up his strength. Despite his confidence that he had plenty of physical strength, Creek did as he was told. Cybil taught him to obey his teachers, and only question them when their lessons truly felt wrong. Creek adapted to his new chores of cleaning the tree and cooking Blackwood's meals. He stayed patient and did not ask questions, even when a month passed and Creek did not receive anything that marginally resembled magic lessons. He did get a few burns and calloused hands, and he found out what he smelled like when he only bathed once a week._

 _After three months under Blackwood's "tutelage," Creek finally stepped forward. "Why am I here?"_

" _You wanted revenge. So you came." Blackwood shrugged as he started his dinner._

" _But you aren't teaching me magic." Creek protested._

 _Blackwood gestured to the second plate he instructed Creek to bring out. "Take that down to the prisoner in Cell 1."_

 _Creek blinked in surprise. He often fed the other prisoners in Blackwood's dungeon, but Blackwood told him specifically that Cell 1 was the sorcerer's responsibility and his alone. "I thought I wasn't supposed to."_

" _I don't have time to do it tonight. Just go." Blackwood waved him off. So Creek shrugged and did as he was told. He traveled down to the dungeon, where Blackwood kept the creatures he liked to experiment on. Creek never stood witness to these experiments, so he had no idea what the prisoner in Cell 1 even looked like._

 _Creek had to light a lantern before entering the dungeon. Blackwood could light the dungeon magically. Creek would have to rely on the light of the lantern. He approached the prison cell closest to the door and set the lantern down. He slipped the tray of food through a slot at the bottom of the door._

 _Suddenly, something from inside the cage shot through the bars and smacked Creek across the face. He hit the wall and tripped over his own feet as he ran out of the dungeon. He slammed the door shut behind him, panting heavily._

* * *

 _When six months passed, Creek decided he had enough. He learned no magic whatsoever from Blackwood. He may have lost some fat off his stomach, but he was starting to get thin from the minimal food he received. He was no stronger now that he was six months ago._

 _Creek confronted Blackwood on the matter. For the first time, he disobeyed Blackwood's rule of never entering the sorcerer's spellcasting chambers. Creek marched up to Blackwood as the sorcerer troll read through one of his books._

" _You promised me magic and are not fulfilling your end of the deal!" Creek snapped. "I have spent the last six months doing nothing but chores and eating less than what is healthy! When are you going to hold up your part of our bargain?"_

 _Blackwood didn't look up from his book. "Get out of here."_

" _No." Creek growled. "Not until you tell me when you're going to teach me magic!"_

 _Blackwood flicked his wrist, and Creek went flying and slammed into the wall. He slumped to the ground and rubbed his head. Then, Blackwood marched over, grabbed him by the throat, and hoisted him up again. The dangerous look in Blackwood's eyes made Creek fearful again._

" _Never. I will never teach you magic." Blackwood said in a low tone. "Because you are a pathetic, useless troll who is only worth enough to be a servant. You came here blindly, but on your own free will nonetheless. I needed a slave, and you fit the bill, you wretched little worm. So you're going to do your work and live with it or I'll just kill you right here, right now!" Blackwood literally threw Creek out of the room, and Creek crashed into the wall and fell to the floor. Blackwood slammed the door shut again._

 _Once he recovered from the violent action, Creek shakily walked back to his broom closet bedroom and shut the door after him. He sat on the ground, curling up in the darkness. He felt empty, cold, afraid, and very, very lonely. Except he couldn't feel this way. He was the one troll who always exhibited confidence. He had to meditate to get rid of these negative vibes. But he couldn't focus on meditation. He needed to talk to someone. He needed his mother. But she was far, far away, and what he felt now he couldn't talk about with her._

 _He wanted Poppy here with him._

 _It was like Creek was a child again. He was too embarrassed to think about asking his mother for help. Ergo, he thought of the only other troll who could give him advice, the one who was always there with a smile and a hug. He wasn't afraid to cry with Poppy, whereas he feared failing his mentor when he showed undesirable emotions in front of her. All Creek wanted right now was to feel Poppy's arms around him and hear her comforting voice. If he hadn't been such an idiot, she would be here to make him smile again._

 _The next morning, when Creek washed his face and checked his reflection, tears formed in his now-grey eyes._

* * *

 _As the months turned to five years, Creek decided once and for all that he didn't really want revenge. He just wanted to make his peace with Poppy and earn a second chance from her. But no matter what he did, he couldn't escape Blackwood. Apparently, the sorcerer liked having Creek around as a slave. Creek's new responsibilities included cooking, cleaning, feeding the prisoners (except the one in Cell 1), and being Blackwood's punching bag whenever the sorcerer pleased. If Creek disobeyed, he was physically punished._

 _By now, Creek embraced his greyness and loneliness. So what if the agonizing pain lulled him to sleep every night? He didn't care. In fact, the new greyness was a gift in disguise. Finally, Creek understood how Branch felt after all this time, and he felt sorry for his grey friend. He wondered if there was any way to reverse the greyness, not only for him but for Branch too._

" _Slave!" Blackwood screeched from the dining room. Creek appeared immediately at his call. Blackwood gestured to the scraps of food left on the serving plates. "Take that to the prisoner in Cell 1."_

" _Yes, sir." Creek dumped the scraps onto a single plate and carried it to the dungeon. It seemed odd to him that Blackwood would send down scraps instead of a full meal. It was already uncommon for Creek to serve the Cell 1 prisoner._

 _He arrived at the dungeon cell and pushed the scraps into the cage. He heard a scoff from inside. "I'm still not apologizing, Blackwood." A woman's voice said. "You deserve every word I said to you today."_

" _Hello?" Creek called quietly._

 _Someone emerged from the shadows. The glow from Creek's lantern created a small circle of light, and Creek was shocked to see a troll step into that light. The elderly troll had purple skin and green hair, and she wore an old, white dress covered in smudges of dirt._

" _Well you're certainly not Blackwood." The older troll said._

" _Who are you?" Creek asked._

" _My name is Rosiepuff." The older troll greeted._

 _Creek's eyes widened. "No. No, you can't be her. She died."_

" _I assure you, I am not dead." Rosiepuff huffed. "I've been under Blackwood's 'care' for the past two-and-a-half decades." She paused. "Wait a minute, you know me? Are you from the Troll Tree?"_

" _Yes." Creek cleared his throat. "I'm Creek. Do you remember me?"_

" _Oh yes!" Rosiepuff said with a smile. "You're Cybil's little boy." She frowned. "But what are you doing here? And for hair's sake, why are you grey?"_

" _I…..uh….." Creek's tongue seemed to be in tangles._

 _Rosiepuff scooted closer and reached through the bars of her cage to gently hold Creek's hand. "Come on, let it out. You know you can tell me."_

" _No. I can't….I mean….I could, but…..it's just….." Creek stammered and stuttered and stumbled over his words._

" _Creek, take a deep breath." Rosiepuff said soothingly. "Everything's all right, now. I'm right here."_

 _She sounded exactly the same way she did when Creek was a boy. It made him feel worse. He squeezed his eyes shut. "I did something very wrong…"_

" _What are you talking about?" Rosiepuff asked. "What did you do?"_

 _Creek yanked his hand away and ran. He sprinted out the door and back up to his room. He couldn't stop hyperventilating. Seeing Rosiepuff brought back memories. Fond memories, but ones that still caused him pain. He trusted only three people with his secrets and concerns, in order: his mother/mentor, his (former) girlfriend, and his nanny. He knew he'd never see Cybil or Poppy ever again, but what were the odds he would actually run into his childhood nanny?_

* * *

 _The next day, Creek was surprised when Blackwood approached him and said Rosiepuff requested to see him. Creek swallowed his fear and went down to the dungeon._

" _It's about time." Rosiepuff said. "Are you ready to give me some answers, young man?"_

 _Again, she sounded_ exactly _like how she did when Creek was a child. Creek fidgeted on his feet. "Well….I…that is…"_

 _Rosiepuff tilted his head up so they could lock eyes, and she smiled. "Tell me, Creek. What did you do that was so wrong?"_

 _Creek stared at the ground. He didn't want to tell her. With her around, he finally had a friend to help him endure his new torturous existence. "I can't tell you."_

 _Rosiepuff sighed. "You're going to have to tell me sooner or later. But for now, just tell me how things were going before you ended up here. Did the trolls escape Bergen Town?"_

 _Creek grinned a little. "Yes. King Peppy led us to freedom, and we lived in peace and happiness for the next twenty years."_

" _What happened after twenty years?" Rosiepuff asked._

" _Uh, nothing." Creek chuckled nervously. "Let me tell you about some of the children you helped raise. Who do you remember most?"_

* * *

 _For the next year, Creek would go down every day and talk with Rosiepuff. Their daily chats consisted solely of life for the trolls (Creek especially) following the escape from the Troll Tree. He avoided talking about Branch, giving the excuse that he didn't see Branch very often. This seemed to sadden Rosiepuff, and Creek did everything he could to keep their talks happy. He started getting a bit of his color back in the process._

 _Still, as time went by, Creek hated that feeling in his stomach when he thought about what he hid from Rosiepuff. Technically speaking, not telling Rosiepuff about his betrayal was not lying. But by keeping that truth hidden away, and knowing that it won't ever be said because it won't come up in general conversation, was it still considered lying? He already let it slip that he "did something very wrong." By not answering Rosiepuff when she requested answers, wasn't he still being dishonest? Creek was so lonely that he would do anything to stay in Rosiepuff's good graces. Anything to have her continue to be kind to him. Anything to keep from being alone._

 _But he just couldn't take it anymore. If he wanted to be accepted back in the Troll Village, he had to be open and honest about his past wrongdoings, and take responsibility for them._

" _I'm ready to talk about that thing I did that was so wrong." Creek announced when he went to visit Rosiepuff one day._

 _Rosiepuff perked up. "Oh good. You just tell me everything. Let's see if we can do something about this funk you're in."_

 _Creek doubted Rosiepuff could do anything. He took a deep breath and began his story. "After King Peppy led us to freedom, we spent twenty years living in peace and harmony. Poppy decided to celebrate the anniversary of our escape by throwing the biggest party we ever had. Unfortunately, that party attracted a Bergen right to us: Chef, the old royal cook at the castle in Bergen Town. Chef captured a handful of us, including myself. She took us to Bergen Town, and planned to feed us to the Bergens. I tried to keep everyone calm and positive. I thought we could figure out a way to escape. Everyone else was so afraid. I mean, I was too. But I didn't want to show it. So I thought we could just play along and lay low until I could think of a plan. Then, King Gristle became concerned that there weren't enough trolls for everyone in Bergen Town. To prove she had everything under control, Chef offered me to Gristle._

" _I thought I was ready to die. I was about to accept my fate. Then I became scared. I was afraid to die, and I tried to escape. In my rush and my fear, I told Chef and Gristle I would do anything if they didn't eat me." Creek's hands clenched into fists. "Chef wanted me to lead her to the rest of the village, because she knew they would be hiding when she went to get them. I agreed. At first, I thought I could use the situation as a cover for my brilliant plan. Too late, I realized I didn't have a plan. I had no idea what to do. So I did what Chef told me to do. I used Poppy's cowbell to draw out the trolls, and I let Chef and the other Bergens capture them." He felt hot tears behind his eyes, and he swallowed. "I swear, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't have done what I did. I would've thought of an escape or just let Gristle eat me. What I did was cowardly, and I'm so sorry."_

 _Rosiepuff stared at him with a gaze he didn't like. It was empty and emotionless, and a slight frown graced her lips. She finally turned away from Creek. "Get out."_

 _Creek felt tears escaping his eyes. "Please, I'm so sorry."_

 _Rosiepuff grabbed the plate from her dinner and threw it at Creek. The dish shattered against the bars, and Creek jumped back. Rosiepuff still wouldn't look at him. "I said get out!" She shouted._

 _Creek trembled a little as he stood. He bowed his head in resignation and slipped out of the dungeon._

* * *

 _Rosiepuff wouldn't speak or look at Creek for the next couple months. Creek didn't blame her. He would be mad too. Except he missed their talks. He had no friends now. Even worse were his thoughts of his future. If Rosiepuff couldn't accept him, surely that meant the trolls back home wouldn't either, right? Was he really stuck here forever? And why did Rosiepuff have a similar fate?_

 _Creek did everything he could to show Rosiepuff how sorry he was, and how much he regretted his actions. Still, Rosiepuff did not continue their talks. It just made him more depressed, and any color he got back disappeared yet again. Creek still wouldn't give up. He wanted to escape this place, and he wanted Rosiepuff to escape with him. Someone as kind and gentle as her did not deserve this. He did, but she didn't._

 _One day, Creek hurried to answer Blackwood's call and found the sorcerer in the kitchen. Creek paused at the door when he saw Blackwood preparing a meal, despite having eaten an hour ago. Creek watched through the small opening of the cracked-open door. Blackwood poured some water into a cup. He looked around, but didn't see Creek. He pulled out a vial from his tunic and poured the powder inside into the cup. Creek narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Why would Blackwood need to sneak? Unless he did something he didn't want even Creek to see._

" _Slave!" Blackwood shouted as he tucked the empty vial away._

 _Creek waited a moment and then pushed the door open. "Yes sir?"_

" _This is for Rosiepuff. Take it down to her." Blackwood shoved the tray into Creek's hands. The sorcerer marched off, and Creek silently stuck his tongue out at Blackwood. He headed for the dungeon. Every now and then, he would glance to the goblet of water on the tray. What exactly did Blackwood put in there? And why did he do it so sneakily? The only person he could be hiding his actions from was Creek, since Creek was the only servant in the tree. What was Blackwood hiding, and why would it be so important that he'd hide it from someone he deemed unimportant?_

 _Creek knelt down in front of Rosiepuff's cage, and he paused. What if that was a poison? What if he planned to hurt Rosiepuff using whatever was in that goblet? Blackwood knew about Creek and Rosiepuff's bond; or, at the very least, Blackwood knew that Creek cared about Rosiepuff. So he would have to be sneaky so Creek wouldn't interfere._

 _Rosiepuff reached through the bars and picked up the goblet, but Creek suddenly grabbed it. "Don't drink that!"_

" _Why not?" Rosiepuff demanded._

" _Because it's poisoned!" Creek said, yanking the cup out of Rosiepuff's hand._

" _What are you talking about?" Rosiepuff droned._

 _Creek stared at the cup. Then he did something crazy: he downed the entire drink in two gulps._

 _Rosiepuff's eyes widened a little. "Creek, what are you—"_

" _You have to go home!" Creek said, tossing the cup aside. "I won't let Blackwood kill you. There's a family back home waiting for you. I know it." A burst of pain made Creek double over, and he leaned on the bars of Rosiepuff's cage for support._

" _Creek?" Rosiepuff sounded concerned now._

" _Don't take anything from Blackwood ever again." Creek said through gritted teeth. "You have to live. For your family!"_

" _Creek." Now it sounded like Rosiepuff tried to get Creek's attention._

" _Find a way to escape." Creek felt himself growing weaker, and he squeezed his eyes shut. He prepared himself for death. "Go home, Rosiepuff. Go back to your family."_

" _Creek. Open your eyes." Rosiepuff said._

 _Creek cracked an eye open. He saw Rosiepuff's amused grin, and he realized with a start that he wasn't dead. "Wait. I'm still alive?"_

" _Yep." Rosiepuff nodded._

" _But I…..he put….I saw….." Creek blinked in surprise. "Why does my voice sound a bit different?" Indeed, his voice sounded about half an octave higher, like how it did when he was a teenager._

" _Look down, sweetheart." Rosiepuff said._

 _Creek looked down, and he shouted in his shock. His body was smaller and shorter. His pants didn't fit quite right anymore. Creek quickly moved Rosiepuff's food so he could use the metal serving tray as a mirror. His face looked younger, and his hair a bit shorter. "I'm…I'm…"_

" _That wasn't a poison, Creek." Rosiepuff explained. "Blackwood's been giving me a youth potion ever since he kidnapped me. It reverse's one's age by a certain number of years. That's why I look the same way I did over twenty years ago. Judging by your new age, Blackwood must've made a pretty strong batch this time."_

 _The now-teenaged Creek huffed and dropped the metal tray. "Well how was I supposed to know?" He crossed his arms and frowned. His expression relaxed when Rosiepuff gently guided his eyes to hers. She wore a soft smile._

" _You didn't know. How could you have known? Yet even when you were certain it was a poison, you were willing to make that sacrifice to save me." Rosiepuff said with awe in her tone._

 _Creek smiled a little. "I meant what I said. You have a family to go back to. Branch is still alive. I know he is. And he needs you. So I'm going to do everything I can to get you home. I promise."_

 _Rosiepuff's grin widened. "On one condition: that when I escape, you'll be right by my side."_

 _Creek nodded. "Deal." He tensed up when Rosiepuff pulled him closer to hug him through the bars of the cage. But he quickly relaxed and returned the embrace._

" _Thank you, Creek." Rosiepuff sighed._

 _Creek's eyes became wet with happy tears. "Thank_ you _. Thank you so much."_

" _What for?" Rosiepuff asked._

" _For forgiving me."_

* * *

 **A/N: That information about the hill monster? Totally made up. I don't know anything about those hill monsters and I don't know their official name. I only know the tarantapuff's name because I saw it in a book.**


	9. Long-Awaited Reunion

**A/N: Glad you enjoyed that last chapter! This is one you've been waiting for!**

 **NerdAlert8910 – Oddly enough, I think it's great that you thought the last chapter was heavy! I like to capture certain feels and I'm always worried I won't do it right.**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Your review made me laugh. But a very good lesson to learn, kids: don't willingly become a slave to a wizard, no matter what he promises you.**

 **Detta – I'm glad Creek is capturing you now with his change in character.**

 **Tomboyfriend – If I were in control of** _ **Trolls 2**_ **, I would make it exactly like this.**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine – Long-Awaited Reunion**

Nobody woke up before noon the next day, too exhausted from last night's events. Symphony still wasn't quite strong enough to fly yet, so the escapees resorted to walking back to the Troll Tree and Bergen Town. Thankfully, the noonday light allowed Rosie to see exactly where to go to get home. On the way, Rosie could not stop talking excitedly about all the things Rosiepuff simply _had_ to do upon arriving home again. She even started thinking about the party they would have to throw to welcome home Rosiepuff and Creek. Though embarrassed by the attention, Creek couldn't persuade Rosie to leave him out of the party plans.

"We'll make a cinnamon cake for Grandma." Rosie told Creek. "What kind should we make you?"

"Oh, I don't need cake." Creek shrugged. "I'll be fine."

"Come on, Creek!" Rosie pleaded. "We have to make lots of cupcakes for the party anyway. We should make some that are your favorite and some that are Grandma's favorite!"

Creek played with the string rope that kept his pants fitted around his waist. "Uh….well…I like…..vanilla….." He cringed a little, as though expecting a negative response.

"I like vanilla too!" Rosie said excitedly. "I love chocolate cake with vanilla frosting!"

"What about cinnamon cake with vanilla frosting?" Cooper suggested. "That'll taste like a cinnamon roll!"

"What do you think, Creek?" Bliss asked.

"Uh…..I like that….." Creek nodded.

"Great!" Rosie cheered. "And we'll have to play lots of music! Stuff we can dance to! Oh! And do you guys want to sing?"

"I would love to hear Creek's voice." Rosiepuff said, grinning at the grey troll in question.

"Oh, no you wouldn't." Creek chuckled nervously. "My voice is nothing special."

"Well you _are_ one of the best singers in the village." Cooper noted. "And a pretty good dancer too."

"Really? Me too!" Rosie cheered.

Creek blushed and ducked his head down again. "It's…..I mean….I guess I'm okay at it….."

"What about you, Ms. Rosiepuff?" Bliss asked. "Rosie said her dad said you sing the best lullabies. Can you sing other songs?"

"I like to consider myself a fair singer." Rosiepuff said proudly.

"Let's sing something now!" Rosie bounced in her excitement.

"Do you think we should stop and rest for a while?" Creek piped up timidly. "I mean, aren't you tired, Rosiepuff?"

"Are you kidding?" Rosiepuff scoffed. "After being stuck in that cage for so long, I would run a thousand miles if you let me. Rosie, start us off. Something with a bit of bounce in it."

"As you wish." Rosie bowed with a laugh. It didn't take long to establish a beat amongst her, Bliss, and Cooper, and Rosie started the song. Cooper and Bliss soon joined in, and Rosiepuff laughed in delight to see the three friends dancing and singing their hearts out. Creek smiled a little too. Rosie soon pulled her great-grandmother into the song and dance too.

While Cooper and Bliss danced with Rosiepuff, Rosie tried to pull Creek into their musical break. But Creek shied away and shook his head. Rosie shrugged and went back to her friends. Creek watched wistfully. He couldn't bring himself to sing right now. He did not feel like he belonged with them. When Rosiepuff stared at him in concern, he just forced a smile and a shrug. He had to admit, though, that Rosie's smile was infectious. It didn't take long for his forced smile to become a real one.

"Wonderful!" Rosiepuff laughed when the song finished, pulling Rosie into a hug. "Like father, like daughter."

"Oh I can't wait for Dad to see you!" Rosie squealed with glee, skipping ahead of the group. "This is going to be awesome!"

"Hey Rosie!" Bliss laughed, running ahead. "Wait up!"

Rosiepuff laughed again. But then her smile shrunk and disappeared completely. She stared at the ground. Creek noticed, and his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Something wrong?"

Cooper looked over and saw Rosiepuff's conflicted gaze. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing." Rosiepuff said. "Just…..wondering if I should even be going back…"

"We can't turn back now. We're so close." Cooper said. "I thought you wanted to see Branch again."

"I do, I do." Rosiepuff assured quickly. "But does _he_ want to see _me_? It sounds like he has a good life now: a new family, people who care about him, even being king. I don't want to mess that up."

"How would you?" Creek asked.

"Because I'm the reason he turned grey, remember?" Rosiepuff said. "I was taken, and he spent twenty years being miserable. What if I just cause him pain by making him think of that time?"

"Come on, you're not serious." Cooper scoffed. "Branch is sad every time he thinks about how he lost you. When you go back to him, I'll bet his colors will shine brighter than ever!"

"Or he's going to have nightmares and regret that I ever came back." Rosiepuff muttered.

"Well where else are you going to go except home?" Creek asked.

Rosiepuff couldn't argue with that. Then she noticed something. "Wait, where are Rosie and Bliss?"

The boys stared ahead and saw the youngest girls of their group had indeed disappeared. "Rosie!" Cooper called. "Bliss!"

"Where'd you two go?" Creek shouted. No reply came.

"This is not good." Cooper groaned. "Branch will kill me if I lose his kid!"

"Come now, Rosie is a smart, resourceful young girl and Bliss is right there with her." Rosiepuff assured. "Surely she knows the forest well. What could go wrong?"

A scream echoed from the trees.

"I had to ask." Rosiepuff groaned. She, Cooper, Creek, and Symphony hurried in the direction of the scream. Symphony spread her wings and darted ahead. Fueled by adrenaline and a desire to protect Rosie, the phoenix shot forward and tackled her attacker to the ground. Pinning the attacker to the ground, Symphony hissed and prepared to bite the attacker's head off.

"Rosie!" Creek shouted.

"Bliss!" Rosiepuff called.

"Guy Diamond?" Cooper said in confusion.

Guy Diamond cowered, Symphony's talons dangerously close to his ear. "N-n-n-nice birdy. Nice birdy."

"Wait, Symphony!" Rosie yelped. "Easy, girl. It's okay. He's a friend." Symphony narrowed her eyes, but stepped off Guy Diamond. The sparkly troll shakily stood, stepping back from the phoenix.

"You all right?" Cooper asked the girls.

"Yeah. Guy Diamond grabbed me with his hair and startled me." Bliss said. "Simple misunderstanding."

"Why would you grab us anyway?" Rosie demanded.

"Because I didn't want you running off again." Guy Diamond said. "You two and Cooper are in so much trouble."

Cooper paled a little. "So Branch and Poppy found out we ran off?"

"Of course they did!" Guy Diamond snapped. "The Snack Pack has been looking all over for you guys! And who are—" Guy Diamond froze. "Creek?"

The grey troll tried to hide behind Rosiepuff, but she pulled him in front of her again. Creek gulped. "Um…..hi….."

Guy Diamond blinked a few times. Rosie waved a hand in his face to get his attention. "This will be a lot easier to explain when we get everyone together. Is the rest of the Pack nearby?"

"Yeah, we've been searching the forest while your parents are at home, worried sick." Guy Diamond shouted into the forest. "Hey Snack Pack! Code Purple and Blue! I found them!"

In no time at all, the rest of the Snack Pack arrived. Bliss ran to her mothers and hugged them tightly. The twins looked too relieved to scold Bliss for sneaking out. When the Snack Pack saw Creek, however, they looked shocked.

"Is that really you, Creek?" Smidge asked.

Creek rubbed the dirt with his foot. "Yes…"

"But you're grey!" Satin gasped.

"And young!" Chenille added.

"And you look like you've been beaten up by a kitten." Biggie said, noticing mainly the scars on Creek's body.

"And black is really not a good color on you." Suki said. "Though I guess it matches _you_ pretty well."

Creek winced. Rosiepuff frowned and stepped almost protectively in front of him. "Now all of you stop that! He's been through enough already."

"Who are you?" Smidge asked with both confusion and sass in her tone.

" _Grandma Rosiepuff?!"_ Biggie, Guy Diamond, and Suki shouted in surprise. Fuzzbert made a garbling sound that was probably the same thing, and he promptly fainted.

"You know her?" Rosie asked excitedly.

"She was a nanny to every troll kid in the Troll Tree, including us!" Biggie said. "We didn't realize until after we got home that she was Branch's grandma!"

"How are you alive?" Suki breathed.

"Trust me, I'll explain everything when we're home again." Rosiepuff said. She laughed when Biggie, Guy Diamond, Suki, and the now-conscious Fuzzbert pulled her into a group hug.

"Wait, wait!" Smidge said. "How do we know she's the real deal?"

"Yeah, and what's with the fire bird?" Satin asked.

"Phoenix." Rosiepuff corrected. "And you two must be Satin and Chenille, yes? I helped your mother take care of you."

The twins gasped. "Really?"

"And who's this?" Rosiepuff asked, looking to Smidge.

"This is Smidge." Cooper introduced. "She was born after we escaped Bergen Town."

Smidge waved. "Okay….I guess we'll know for sure when Branch—" She gasped. "Oh my gah!"

"We have to get home!" Suki gasped too. "Branch and Poppy and King Peppy are worried sick!"

"Yeah, let's go!" Rosie cheered. She pulled Rosiepuff along as they walked. The Snack Pack gathered around and started spewing questions, most of them still in awe to meet Branch's thought-to-be-dead grandmother. They all heard his story of how he lost his colors when his grandmother was taken. Naturally, everyone thought she would be dead. To see and talk to her now only further confirmed that the story was not complete. Rosiepuff wouldn't say much besides where Rosie, Bliss, and Cooper found her. She still wanted to save her entire story for when they reached the Troll Tree.

Just as Creek expected, he was left out of the group. He hung back and walked with Symphony behind the group, and nobody noticed or cared. He just stayed quiet and tried to not show how lonely he felt. Luckily for him, Rosiepuff did notice that Creek disappeared, and she slowed down so he could catch up. Before he could back away again, Rosiepuff wrapped an arm around his shoulders and gently forced him to walk beside her. The rest of the group still chatted happily.

"So how did you escape, anyway?" Suki asked. "That Blackwood sounds like a mean dude."

"It was Creek who did it!" Rosie said. "He knew just what to do!"

"Well, it was a team effort." Bliss said. "But Creek did prevent Blackwood from following us."

"It…..it wasn't much." Creek said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sure it was!" Rosiepuff assured.

"Yeah, he did great back there." Cooper admitted. "You guys should've seen him."

"I'm more concerned about what will happen when Branch sees him." Biggie said. "He's not going to be happy."

"Branch will learn to accept it." Rosiepuff assured. "Because Creek's coming back. I promised he would."

The Snack Pack wouldn't argue about it further. But they still feared how Branch or even Poppy would react.

* * *

When they reached the walls of Bergen Town, Rosiepuff and Creek almost didn't go inside. Rosiepuff had too many bad memories of this place, and Creek knew nothing good waited for him beyond these walls.

"Hey, why don't we bring Branch and Poppy here?" Suki offered. "Let's shock them first before we surprise the entire village. You guys just wait here."

"Okay." Rosie agreed. The Snack Pack hurried off, leaving Rosie, Bliss, Rosiepuff, Symphony, and Creek at the edge of the forest. They sat under the shade of a tree, preparing for the arrival of the king and queen of the trolls.

"You think I look all right?" Rosiepuff asked, smoothing out her hair and brushing off her dress.

"For someone who was locked in a cage for thirty years, I think you look great!" Rosie said, giving her grandmother two thumbs-up. True, Rosiepuff needed a bath and to give her face a good wash and she could probably use a new dress, but at least she looked healthy enough for someone who lived in a cage for over three decades.

"Besides, you're seeing your grandson. It's not like you have to dress up for the occasion." Bliss said.

"Well I want him to recognize me." Rosiepuff shrugged.

"Here, let's compare you to this." Bliss pulled from her hair a photograph in a frame, and Rosie did a double-take when she saw it was a picture of Rosiepuff and Branch when the latter was just a baby.

"Hey, where'd you get that?" Rosie asked in shock.

"I may or may not have slipped it out of your bag while we were traveling through the Western Woods." Bliss shrugged. "I wanted to know what this Rosiepuff looked like before we went running in to save her."

Rosie rolled her eyes with a grin. "You really are a kleptomaniac."

"Just a little." Bliss shrugged. "I can control it."

Rosie swiped the picture away. She stared at the image. "Aw, my dad was cute when he was a baby."

Rosiepuff gently took the picture, and she stared at the captured moment. She remembered this day very well: Branch's first Trollmas. This picture showed herself and Branch sitting in her favorite chair. Baby Branch tore open the wrapping paper of a gift wrapped in blue paper and a red bow. That gift was a stuffed crocodile toy, which Branch slept with every single night. He could never sleep unless he had that toy with him. Rosiepuff knitted it herself. The more she stared at the picture, the more Rosiepuff's heart hurt.

"Grandma?" Rosie gently put a hand on Rosiepuff's arm.

"I need a minute." Rosiepuff stood and walked around to the other side of the tree. She leaned against the bark and shut her eyes, trying to control her emotions. Had it really been over thirty years since she saw Branch? Had so much time truly passed while she was in a cage? Branch was grown now, with a wife and child and now he was king for hair's sake. So much changed while she was away. She imagined this moment for years: the day she would be reunited with Branch at last. But now that she was here, she began to wonder if it would be good at all for her to come back.

Meanwhile, Bliss, Rosie, Creek, and Symphony waited patiently. Then, they heard a rustling in the grass, and a mouse-like creature darted from the tall grass and disappeared into the bushes. Symphony chased after it.

"Hey!" Rosie called. "Symphony!"

"Let her hunt. She could use the exercise." Creek said. "She'll come back."

"Because you're her friend." Bliss guessed. "She seems to like you."

"Yeah, she sticks by you as much as she sticks by Grandma." Rosie agreed.

"I suppose because Rosiepuff and I are Symphony's only friends. The only ones who treat her kindly." Creek said. "I'm not sure how she recognizes Rosiepuff, but I liked to talk to her when I fed her." He stared in the direction Symphony left. "I hope she will remain my friend in the Troll Tree. I'll need someone to talk to."

"You can talk to me." Rosie offered with a grin.

"I'm sure the princess of the Troll Tree Kingdom has more important things to do." Creek said, not looking to Rosie.

"Nope!" Rosie said with an even wider smile.

"You might as well give up any thought of being reclusive, Creek." Bliss laughed. "When Rosie sets her mind to something, you can't change her mind."

"I think my problem is changing Branch's mind." Creek said. "He and I didn't get along before I….you know…."

"Come on, Dad's pretty forgiving." Rosie said. She didn't really know for sure, but she wouldn't let Creek be upset. "What's the worst that Dad will do?"

Suddenly, a length of pink hair grabbed Rosie and Bliss while blue hair wrapped around Creek's throat and started throttling him. The pink hair yanked Rosie and Bliss away.

"Mom! Dad!" Rosie yelped, untangling herself from Poppy's pink locks. She hurried to Branch and pulled on his arm. "Dad, let him go!"

Branch glared hatefully at Creek for another moment before retracting his hair. Creek gasped and coughed as he fell to his knees. Branch turned and hugged Rosie tightly. Poppy joined in the hug, both parents relieved to have their daughter home and safe. Creek stared at the happy family, particularly the parents. Branch definitely looked different with his true colors; and Poppy looked just as Creek remembered, save for the three-month-old baby bump and leafy crown on her head.

"We were worried sick about you!" Poppy sighed, squeezing her daughter again. The Snack Pack finally caught up.

"I'm sorry. But if I told you what I was doing, you wouldn't believe me." Rosie said sincerely.

"But what _were_ you doing out here?" Branch demanded. "The Pack—Cooper included—wouldn't tell us anything. And who is that guy?" Branch glared at Creek, clearly not recognizing the grey troll.

"Take a good look, Branch. You too, Poppy." Cooper said. "You'll recognize him."

Branch had recognized the face at first, but didn't want to believe it could be who he thought it was. But Poppy's gasp confirmed it for him. "Creek?" Poppy breathed.

Creek recovered from his attack. He stayed on his knees and bowed his head respectfully. "Poppy, it's good to see you again. And Branch, I must say I didn't recognize you at first. It's nice to see your colors again."

"There are a lot of things I want to say to you, Creek, and none of them are appropriate to say in front of my daughter." Branch growled.

Poppy frowned at Creek. She didn't know if she really wanted to see him again after what he did. She looked to her friends. "Why did you bring him here? And where did you find him?"

"It was Rosie, Bliss, and Cooper who found them." Suki said.

"And there's a very good reason for why we brought him here." Cooper assured. "He has to come home."

"No." Branch said firmly. "He's a traitor and belongs in the forest." He lowered his voice to a mutter. "Where the tarantapuffs can eat him."

"Dad, you have to listen, okay?" Rosie pleaded. "Creek is the reason I was able to find someone very important, and he deserves a second chance. Please."

"Rosie, this is the same troll who almost got our entire village destroyed." Branch protested.

"And he's been punished enough, I think." Rosie said.

Poppy noticed the scars on Creek's body, and she had to admit he looked very, _very_ different from the troll she remembered. "What happened to you?"

"It's a long story, Poppy." Creek said.

" _Queen_ Poppy." Branch corrected with a huff.

Rosie broke away from her parents and pulled Creek to his feet. She stood in front of him in a defensive manner. "Creek did something amazing for our family, and he deserves to come home after everything he did."

"What could he have done to earn that right?" Branch demanded.

Poppy looked down with a conflicted gaze. "You are going to have to prove that, Rosie darling."

Rosie smiled broadly. "Just wait right here! I'll show you!" She hurried around the back of the tree. Part of her wondered why Rosiepuff hadn't shown up sooner. Surely she heard everyone coming. When Rosie reached the other side of the tree and found her great-grandmother, she skidded to a halt. "Uh, Grandma?"

Rosiepuff looked like she just saw a ghost. She pressed her back to the tree and her eyes looked ready to pop out of her head. She hugged the picture frame to her chest. "Rosie."

"Yeah?" Rosie asked.

"My feet are glued to the ground. I cannot move." Rosiepuff said.

Rosie giggled. "Come on, Grandma! That's Branch out there!"

"I can't. I can't do it." Rosiepuff stared at the picture in her hands. "He's happy now. He has a good life. All I'm going to do is bring back old fears."

"Fears that made sense when the Bergens ate us once a year and kept us in a cage." Rosie said comfortingly. "You don't have to be afraid. You won't mess up anything in Dad's life. If anything, you're going to make it better. He misses you. He misses you so much that I spent almost two months trying to find you, just to make him happier."

Rosiepuff glanced in the direction of Branch and the others. "You're sure?"

Rosie held out her hand. "Come on. It's time to go home."

It took a few moments, but Rosiepuff tucked the picture into her hair and accepted Rosie's hand. The younger troll led her around the tree. It was too late to back out now. As they cleared the tree line and stepped into the sunlight, Rosiepuff got a better look at her now-adult grandson. He certainly blossomed into quite the handsome troll. In fact, he looked remarkably like Rosiepuff's late husband. The vest looked nice, as did the crown on his brow. The fact that he wore a similar style of patched-up shorts from his youth amused Rosiepuff. Gosh, how she missed those adorable glitter freckles of his.

Branch looked past Creek to his daughter. When he saw Rosiepuff, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little. Poppy gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Creek wisely stepped aside as Branch started slowly walking toward his grandmother. The Snack Pack waited with bated breaths.

Rosiepuff looked down, wringing her fingers. "I know what you're going to say, Branch. How am I alive? Where have I been all this time? Why did I not come back or try to contact you? I know I left you all alone, but you have to understand that I just wasn't in a position to contact anyone or even escape. I was a prisoner. But believe me when I say that I thought of you every single day." Tears came to Rosiepuff's eyes. "I thought about how you must be doing, if someone was taking care of you, whether or not you were even alive. I hate that Bergen for separating us, because I was so afraid that you weren't even alive. Not that you couldn't take care of yourself, but you were just a boy. And I was responsible for you, and I left you alone." Branch still hadn't spoken, even as he stood right in front of her with that same slack-jawed expression. Rosiepuff groaned in frustration. "Well don't just stand there, Branch! Say something! Go on, scream at me! I understand if you're mad—"

Branch suddenly wrapped his arms around Rosiepuff's neck in a tight hug, silencing her. She froze, staring at nothing with wide eyes. Branch buried his face into the crook of her shoulder. "I missed you." He whispered so softly she almost didn't hear him.

Rosiepuff trembled as she returned the embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks. She sank to her knees, taking Branch with her, and the two of them still didn't break their hug. Biggie become a blubbering mess, and the twins had to comfort him. Poppy's eyes shined with happy tears, and Rosie ran over to hug her. Bliss had to admit that, despite the danger Rosie put her through, this was a tender moment worth experiencing.

"Look at you, my angel. You're so big!" Rosiepuff laughed. She briefly broke her and Branch's embrace to stare at his face.

"And you haven't changed a bit." Branch laughed. Rosiepuff laughed again and pulled him into another hug, kissing his head. Branch was so overwhelmed that he couldn't stop the tears coming out like waterfalls from his eyes. Happy tears, of course, but Branch still wiped them away out of embarrassment.

Everyone's Hug Time bracelets went off in a musical series of _dings._

"Group hug!" Cooper cheered. The Snack Pack, Rosie and Bliss included, gathered around in a massive group hug with Rosiepuff and Branch in the middle. Everyone laughed with glee. Creek still stayed back, knowing he wouldn't be accepted. Imagine his surprise when Rosie ran over to hug him too.

When the hug finally broke apart, Branch still stuck close to his grandmother. He stared at Rosie. "How did you find her?"

Rosie rubbed the back of her head. "I may or may not have gone into the Western Woods to find her. That's what my dreams were about."

Branch shook his head. "Just this once, you're not grounded." Rosie sighed relief.

"So, does that mean I'm not in trouble either?" Bliss asked.

"Or me?" Cooper piped up.

"No, you're not in trouble this time." Satin told Bliss.

"But I'm going to pound you into the mud, Cooper." Branch warned. Cooper gulped and hid behind Poppy.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Poppy gasped. "Let's get you home! I want to hear the whole story!"

"Us too!" the Snack Pack agreed.

"Absolutely." Branch nodded.

"Of course." Rosiepuff said. "As long as Creek comes to."

Branch glared at Creek. "Grandma, he—"

"Creek told me everything, Branch." Rosiepuff assured. Her pacifying tone caused Branch to relax. "I know about his betrayal, and he has risked his life several times to prove himself worthy of a second chance. He's the reason I was able to escape. He dream-spoke with Rosie and called her to me, and he played a large role in making sure the troll who captured me didn't follow us. He's coming with us."

Branch sighed through his nose, staring at the teenaged, grey troll he knew to be an enemy. "Fine. If that's what you want. But he's going to be under watch."

"Fine." Rosiepuff agreed. "By the way, Creek, where's Symphony?"

"She went hunting." Creek said. He turned to the forest and put two fingers to his lips to release a shrill whistle. In seconds, the fiery phoenix flew from the trees and landed before the surprised trolls.

"Who is that?" Poppy gasped.

"Meet Symphony." Rosiepuff introduced. "Branch, she's a friend of your mother's."

Branch's jaw dropped yet again. "My mother?"

"Go on. Go meet her." Rosiepuff encouraged Branch closer.

Branch stepped up to Symphony. "So you knew my mom, huh? My mom had a pet phoenix that I didn't know about?"

Symphony dipped her head down to get a better look at Branch. She sniffed him and stuck her beak into his hair. She nipped at a chain around his neck and pulled out Branch's mother's necklace. Branch quickly pulled the chain from Symphony's beak so it wouldn't break. Symphony leaned down more and eyed the pendant. The phoenix chirped excitedly and nuzzled Branch so much that he fell over. She rubbed her head against him lovingly. Branch laughed as the fiery red feathers on the phoenix tickled his face.

"I think she likes you." Poppy giggled.

"I'll say!" Branch laughed. Symphony lifted her head, allowing Branch to stand. When he did, Symphony bent her legs and spread her wings, lowering her head in a sort of bow. Branch rubbed her head affectionately. "What does that mean?"

"It means she's chosen you to be her master." Rosiepuff said. "Your mother was more than Symphony's friend or trainer. They were soulmates, in a way. Now, Symphony has chosen you to take on that role your mother had for so long."

Branch smiled broadly. "Well okay then, Symphony. Maybe you can teach me a little about my mother along the way?" Symphony nuzzled him again.

"Come on." Poppy urged. "Let's go home."

* * *

Once Rosiepuff and Creek got past their jumpiness at seeing the Bergens, they could fully embrace the reception of the trolls in Troll Grove. It was mostly shock from the trolls: a good kind of shock at seeing Rosiepuff, and a bad kind from seeing Creek. Of course, few would've recognized him had Branch not pointed out who the teenaged grey troll was. Most of the trolls ignored Creek and welcomed Rosiepuff warmly. Several of the older trolls remembered her as either an old friend or an old nanny, and Rosiepuff displayed an amazing memory when she identified every troll she once helped care for. Peppy and Cybil, overjoyed to see their old friend again, dropped all formality and pulled her into a tight group hug.

"I can't believe you're here." Cybil said, tears coming to her eyes. "You're alive."

"How?" Peppy laughed in disbelief. "I tried to find you, and you weren't anywhere in the kitchen." The rest of the trolls shouted similar questions.

"All right, all right!" Branch raised his voice to be heard. "Once we know the full story, we'll spread the word. Right now, I want to take my grandmother home to rest. She's been through a lot."

"Rest assured, there will be a party to celebrate this happy moment!" Rosie said. The trolls definitely looked excited for that. Yet several of them sent dirty looks Creek's way. He accepted them as they came. He knew he deserved this rather cold reception.

"Come on, Grandma." Branch encouraged. "We need to talk."

"Cybil, Grandad, why don't you come too?" Rosie offered. "And the Snack Pack too!"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Rosiepuff laughed. "Creek, you come along too!"

"Creek?" Cybil asked confusedly. She followed Rosie's point to the grey troll, and she gasped. "Is that you?"

Creek folded his hands and bowed. " _Namaste,_ Master."

Cybil suddenly hugged Creek, surprising him. "I was so worried about you!"

"You….you were?" Unexpected enough to Creek was the amount of emotion Cybil showed right now. Even more astonishing was that she was actually worried about him.

"I didn't know what happened to you or if I would ever see you again!" Cybil looked him over and moaned in sympathy. "Look at you, my poor boy."

Creek looked down. Cybil pulled him in another hug. Poppy's eyes widened a little when she saw tears in Creek's eyes. Creek never cried when there were other trolls around who could see his tears.

 _Is it possible that he's really changed?_ Poppy wondered as they all journeyed up to the royal pod. _He's so different. I guess fourteen years is a long time. And if Rosiepuff said he's the reason she escaped, what would he gain from it except to come home? Unless that's what he always wanted._

Poppy decided to put it aside for now. Quite a group gathered in her living room: herself, Branch, Rosie, Rosiepuff, Bliss, Creek, Cybil, Peppy, and the Snack Pack. Biggie and the twins helped Branch get drinks for everyone.

When Rosiepuff was ready, she began her story.

* * *

 **A/N: So, remember when Rosiepuff called Branch "my angel"? That's my own personal canon for the** _ **Trolls**_ **fandom! I figured that if Rosiepuff used to say that Branch sings like an angel, what if that's what she called him? Some of you may remember seeing this in some of my adaptations, like** _ **Cinder-Troll.**_

 **BTW: I have decided which adaptation I will do next! Hopefully, I can work on it simultaneously with Part 2 of this story. I've decided my next adaptation will be…announced in the next chapter. :D**


	10. Silhouette

**A/N: Aw, I loved your reviews for the last chapter. You guys are great. Now, you want to know which adaptation I'm writing next? Drumroll please…**

 **Kung Fu Troll! You can guess which movie that's an adaptation of. Now, Part One is nowhere near done. But when I get to Part Two, I'm hoping to publish both stories simultaneously. More info on "Kung Fu Troll" will come in due time!**

 **Guest – One of the best Trolls fics you ever read? Wow! I'm honored. Thank you!**

 **Mlpfanceline1 – Oddly enough, I'm glad I made you cry. I take it as a sign you enjoy this story. Thank you!**

 **So it looks like I got all of you right in the feels. (insert evil laugh) Maybe I'll get you again in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10 – Silhouette**

" _Grandma!" Branch called excitedly. The young troll bounded into the room holding a piece of paper in his hands. "Look what I drew!"_

 _Rosiepuff paused in her laundry work to take a look. The lovely little picture showed herself and Branch in the Troll Tree. Simple yet beautiful. "It's wonderful, Branch. Well done."_

" _Will you help me put it in my scrapbook?" Branch requested. He knew he wasn't allowed to use the glue unsupervised. Last time he tried to scrapbook by himself, he got glue in his hair and it took an hour for Rosiepuff to wash it out._

" _After I'm done with the laundry." Rosiepuff said, lifting up the laundry basket and heading outside._

" _I'll help!" Branch offered as he hurried after his grandmother. Rosiepuff laughed and let Branch run ahead of her towards the clothesline. She lifted him up so he could pin the damp clothes onto the clothesline, and the toddler beamed with pride. It didn't take long for him to become bored with the chore, so he picked a flower nearby and started to sing. Rosiepuff didn't mind. She loved hearing Branch sing, and it entertained her while she finished hanging the wash._

 _Rosiepuff turned to smile at her grandson, but the sight of a large shadow made her do a double-take. Her adoring smile turned to a horrified expression when she saw the shadow was in fact the Bergen Chef. Why she was here and how she got in so silently, Rosiepuff didn't know. But she did see that Chef came right towards her beloved grandson._

" _Branch! Watch out!" Rosiepuff shouted, running towards him._

 _Branch continued to sing, unaware of the danger approaching him. Rosiepuff barely felt her feet touching the tree bark, desperate to reach her grandson._

" _Watch out, Branch!"_

 _Branch finally stopped singing when he heard his grandmother shouting, and a shadow passed over him. He turned just in time to see a large Bergen hand coming right for him. Rosiepuff didn't even think twice. She lunged forward and shoved Branch out of the way. Her eyes locked onto her grandson, who stared back in fear. She prepared to grab Branch and cushion his fall. Instead, she felt Chef's fingers close around her. Rosiepuff liked to consider herself brave. But this was the closest she had ever been to the horrible Bergen creatures. A terrified scream ripped free from her throat. Chef tightened her grip, and Rosiepuff desperately fought to break free. She had to go back to Branch. She couldn't just leave him alone. But the more she struggled, the tighter Chef's grip became. One of her nails pressed against Rosiepuff's neck. It became hard to breathe, and Rosiepuff passed out._

 _When she woke up again, Chef took her into the kitchen at the castle. She threw the elderly troll into a cage and locked the door behind her. Rosiepuff scrambled to her feet and shook the door, but it stayed firm._

" _Please, please don't eat me." Rosiepuff begged. "It's not even Trollstice." Chef ignored her. "You don't understand! I have a grandson back at home. I can't leave him all alone. I'm all he has!" Chef still went about organizing the pots and pans in the kitchen, not paying Rosiepuff any heed. Rosiepuff angrily rattled the cage door. "He's too young to be on his own! He needs me!"_

" _Shut up!" Chef smacked the cage, shaking it enough to send Rosiepuff to the floor of the barred enclosure. Rosiepuff backed away when Chef put her face close to the bars, but the old troll's eyes developed an uncharacteristic glare. Chef glared too, looking irritated. "You're not going back. If you didn't want to be captured, you should've let me take that little pipsqueak I was aiming for."_

" _Over my dead body." Rosiepuff growled._

 _Chef chuckled. "Oh that can be arranged. Trust me." She turned and marched out the door, leaving Rosiepuff alone in her cage._

 _Rosiepuff rattled the cage door and then kicked the bars when they still didn't give way. Though confused as to why Chef didn't prepare to cook her, she had more important things to worry about. She had to escape while she had the chance. Rosiepuff analyzed the lock on the cage. Too big for a hair pin. But maybe Rosiepuff could use something else. Thinking for a moment, she decided to pull out a pair of scissors from her hair. She stuck the blade end into the lock and twisted the scissors around, listening for the clicks of the lock mechanisms. Finally, the lock clicked open, and Rosiepuff silently cheered for herself. But she didn't like how bent and utterly useless her scissors had become from being used as a lock pick._

" _Oh, these are my good sewing scissors." Rosiepuff pouted. She sighed and tossed the destroyed scissors over her shoulder. She hopped out of the cage and ran across the countertops, making a beeline for the door. She didn't expect the door to swing open, and she skidded to a halt. When the door closed, Rosiepuff saw a little Bergen child with pale grey skin and pink hair, wearing a pink dress and white apron. The scullery maid saw Rosiepuff and gasped in surprise. Rosiepuff turned and ran._

" _Wait!" the girl called quietly. She chased after Rosiepuff, but the elder troll proved to be rather sprightly despite her age. She easily dodged the Bergen girl's attempts to grab her. But she didn't expect the scullery maid to grab a pot and slam it over her. The pot moved, pushing Rosiepuff off the counter and onto a lid. Now she was fully trapped. The Bergen girl peered inside and then grabbed Rosiepuff before she could run away again. Strangely enough, this girl's grip felt gentle as opposed to Chef's bone-crushing fist._

" _Look, I will anything you want." Rosiepuff pleaded. "Just don't eat me."_

" _Why would I?" the Bergen girl asked. "It's not Trollstice."_

 _Rosiepuff sighed in relief. "At least one Bergen understands laws." She and the Bergen girl froze when they heard voices, and the girl grabbed a sponge from the sink. She dropped to her hands and knees, pushing Rosiepuff under the counter._

" _Go. Get out of here!" the Bergen girl whispered as she pretended to scrub the floor._

" _Thank you." Rosiepuff breathed. She hid behind a table leg as Chef entered. She snickered silently when she heard Chef screech._

" _Where's that troll?!" Chef demanded. "You! Scullery maid! Did you eat it?"_

" _It's not Trollstice, Chef." The Bergen girl replied timidly._

 _A male voice chuckled. "How strange to see a Bergen with a sense of honor."_

 _Rosiepuff's head tilted in her confusion. She didn't see another set of feet. Who did that voice belong to?_

" _I have honored our agreement since we first made it!" Chef snapped._

" _Oh really?" the male voice scoffed. "If I recall correctly, our deal was every Trollstice you would provide me a troll to use in my experiments. In return, I give you a single wishing star to use as you please."_

" _And what a lot of good those wishing stars did for me." Chef grumbled. "I could only make simple wishes like new spices or money."_

" _Or a golden spatula, it would seem." The male voice mused._

" _They wouldn't make me queen. That's what really irritated me. But that's beside the point! If I recall correctly, the deal also says you only come during Trollstice so the king won't ever know about the deal." Chef snapped. "Why were you not here last Trollstice?"_

" _I was otherwise engaged." The male voice said. "Now produce the troll you promised or I'll be forced to tell King Gristle about how you've been illegally taking trolls."_

 _Chef grumbled and muttered angrily. "I'm sure she's around here somewhere. Help me look."_

 _That was Rosiepuff's cue to leave. She started running, only for her coat to catch a nail sticking out of the table leg. Desperate to escape, she tore off her knitted coat and abandoned it. She stopped again when she reached the end of the countertops. The door wasn't that far away. Rosiepuff exhaled silently, counted down, and dashed for the door._

 _Just as she reached the door, a crocodile appeared in front of her. The large beast hissed at her, and Rosiepuff screamed as she skidded to a halt. She turned and ran the other direction, the crocodile chasing after her._

" _Bad crocodile!" Rosiepuff yelped when the animal snapped his jaws at her. His teeth almost caught her dress. "Bad! Sit! Heel!" She ducked under Chef's legs, and the crocodile tripped the Bergen and caused her to fall. Rosiepuff climbed a broom to get to the countertops, but the crocodile still chased her. She stretched out her hair and grabbed a skillet hanging on the wall. Then she jumped down, but the crocodile clamped his teeth around her hair. Just as she planned. When Rosiepuff and the crocodile hit the floor, the jerk of the croc pulling on Rosiepuff's hair caused the skillet to fall. The heavy pan landed right on the crocodile's head, allowing Rosiepuff to run back towards the door._

 _Suddenly, black smoky tendrils appeared and circled her. Despite her attempts to avoid them, the snake-like trails of smoke wrapped around her and formed a cage around Rosiepuff. The smoke hardened to metal, leaving Rosiepuff to stare in fear and confusion._

" _Very resourceful, as usual." The male voice from before said. "You haven't changed a bit."_

 _Rosiepuff turned to the source and saw a troll with grey skin and black hair, dressed in black robes. "You?"_

" _Hello again to you too." Blackwood bowed mockingly. He looked to Chef. "Well done, Chef. Normally, I would be angry at you for almost messing up. But you've managed to capture the one troll I always wanted. So, I'll double your pay as long as you promise this mistake won't ever happen again."_

 _Chef's eyes shined greedily. "Of course! I can assure you that I will always have a troll reserved for you when I gather them for Trollstice."_

" _Very good." Blackwood reached into his hair and pulled out two little lights that looked like stars. The lights floated up to Chef, who held out an open locket and locked the wishing stars away._

 _Chef giggled albeit darkly. "These will be most helpful. Thank you."_

" _No, no, thank_ you." _Blackwood said._

" _You there, scullery maid!" Chef barked. "Escort him to the tower. We can't let King Gristle see him leaving."_

" _A pleasure doing business with you." Blackwood bowed as the Bergen girl lifted him and the cage. The maid snuck out of the kitchen and through the castle, careful to not let any of the guards or castle staff see them. They reached the tower, where Blackwood's dark phoenix waited. Blackwood mounted his bird and turned to the scullery maid who still held the cage that had Rosiepuff prisoner._

 _The Bergen girl stared at Rosiepuff sadly. 'Help me.' Rosiepuff mouthed._

" _Young lady." Blackwood said. "I'll be taking my prisoner now."_

" _Right." the girl sighed. She held up the cage. Blackwood's bird creature grabbed the cage in his talons and flapped his wings to take off._

 _Rosiepuff tried one last time to break out of the cage, but the bars were firm. Her eyes traveled to the ground, and she saw something strange: a dark pink dot on the steps of the castle. Rosiepuff stared at the pink dot until she finally recognized it as Peppy._

" _Peppy!" Rosiepuff shouted. "Stay away from the castle! I'm up here! I'm—" She didn't get to finish when Blackwood's bird gave the cage a vigorous shake. Rosiepuff's head hit the bars, and she was out cold in seconds._

* * *

"When I woke up, I was in a cage in Blackwood's home." Rosiepuff finished. "He kept me there until Rosie came to help."

"I think I remember Chef mentioning those wishing star thingies." Suki said.

"Yeah, on the way to Bergen Town when she caught us!" Biggie nodded.

"We almost got eaten by a hill monster, and she used her last wishing star to save herself." Cooper said. "She must've used the first one already."

"But, Rosiepuff, you were taken decades ago." Poppy said. "How are you almost the same age as you were when you were taken?"

"Blackwood made a youth potion and slipped it into my drinks." Rosiepuff explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if he drank some himself. That's actually how Creek ended up so much younger."

"Like he tested it on you before giving it to Grandma?" Rosie guessed.

Creek had stared at the ground the entirety of the story. "Uh, yeah. Wanted to make sure it worked, so he used me."

"How did you end up his slave anyway?" Bliss asked.

Creek didn't like the attention on him. He cleared his throat. "I escaped being eaten in the forest, and Blackwood actually found me soon after I lost my colors. He made me his slave. At the time, I didn't know where else to go."

"He soon became my only friend in that dungeon." Rosiepuff added with a smile.

Branch scoffed. "Shocking, really." Creek looked away. He felt Cybil's comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What's shocking is what Blackwood did to him." Rosie said with a glare. "He tortured Creek."

"He tortured you?" Guy Diamond repeated, gawking at Creek. Everyone stared at him again, and Cybil even gently turned him around so they could all see the scars on his back from Blackwood's whippings. Creek heard several gasps of horror, and he spun back around to face them again.

"It's nothing." He shrugged. "You get used to it."

"You did a pretty nasty thing, Creek." Suki said. "But _nobody_ deserves that kind of treatment."

"What matters is that he's home now." Rosiepuff said. "We both are, and we aren't going anywhere."

Branch and Poppy exchanged a look. Branch was overjoyed that his grandmother had been alive all this time, and now she was finally home. But he still didn't know what to think of Creek. Even Poppy was still wary of him. But Rosiepuff and even Rosie mentioned that Creek was the reason they escaped Blackwood in the first place. If nothing else, Branch was desperate to keep his grandmother at home where she belonged. If that meant even pretending to trust Creek, he'd do it.

"He _is_ going to stay, right Dad?" Rosie asked. "Both Creek and Grandma have to stay."

"Of course." Branch glared at Creek. "Against my better judgement, I'll allow you to stay if my grandmother wishes it."

"I agree." Poppy nodded. "If you can prove yourself deserving of a second chance, we'll give it to you. But you won't be left alone very often."

"He'll be staying with me." Cybil said. "He's too young to be on his own now."

Creek blushed. "I'm sixteen years old now. I think I could be on my own." A smile tugged at his lips when Cybil laughed and tousled his hair. "But I agree with the king and queen's orders. And I promise I will show you how badly I want a second chance."

Poppy nodded in satisfaction. "Well, Branch, I think we'll just leave you and your grandmother to talk. Come along, everyone."

Though the Snack Pack let out a collective, disappointed "Aww," they agreed and everyone departed from the royal pod to go back to their usual business. The Snack Pack stampeded off to tell the other trolls about what happened. Peppy invited Bliss and Rosie to take a nap in his home so they could catch up on their sleep. Cybil escorted Creek back to her pod. Creek stuck close to his surrogate mother, the only one who really seemed happy to have him back. He wouldn't say it out loud, but it felt good to know there was someone who actually missed him.

Once they were alone, Branch hugged his grandmother again. It still felt so unreal to have her home again. But she was really here, and he wasn't going to let her go again.

"It's so good to have you back." Branch sighed.

"It's good to be back, my angel." Rosiepuff said. "Rosie and Cooper told me so much about what happened. To think that you and Poppy went on such a daring mission to Bergen Town." She glanced out the window with a troubled gaze. "And now we're back to living in the middle of Bergen Town."

"But this time in harmony with the Bergens." Branch added. "King Gristle Jr. is our friend, and he promised no troll would ever be eaten by a Bergen ever again."

Rosiepuff scoffed bitterly. "And you believe the word of a Bergen?"

"I believe in my friend." Branch corrected gently. Rosiepuff still looked distressed, almost angry. Branch took her hand in his. "I know it's a big change. A lot of the trolls had trouble adjusting. But everything is going to be all right."

"I admire your optimism, Branch." Rosiepuff said. "But we're talking about _Bergens._ They're monstrous beasts who nearly destroyed our way of life. They put us in a cage and treated us like wild animals only useful for cooking. They made parents childless and children orphans." Her grip tightened on Branch's hand. "They took me away from you. You were all alone, because of _them_."

"Because of Chef." Branch said. "Chef was the cruelest person I ever met, Bergen or otherwise. She took you away from me, and she almost destroyed the trolls just to get what she wanted. But that's done now. She's gone, and she's never coming back. So we need to move forward. And if it's not easy, then tell me how I can help and I'll do it."

Rosiepuff finally smiled. "Always the problem-solver. While I'm glad you weren't trapped with me in that cage, sometimes I wondered if I could've escaped sooner had you been there."

Branch blushed a little. "Well I'm not _that_ clever." He and Rosiepuff jumped at a bird cry from outside. The pod shook as something bumped against it.

"All right, Symphony!" Rosiepuff laughed. She and Branch exited the pod to stand beside the phoenix, perched on the branch near the royal pod. Symphony nuzzled her head against Branch adoringly.

"She really likes me, huh?" Branch laughed.

"You must remind her of your mother." Rosiepuff guessed.

Branch petted Symphony's head. He stared at the phoenix in awe. "So this bird really knew my mom?"

"Your mother was a phoenix trainer." Rosiepuff explained. "Phoenixes aren't found in very many places. When they choose a partner, that partner becomes like a second half. Symphony and your mother made an amazing team, and they relied on each other so much. By choosing you as her partner, Symphony is able to fulfill that bond she lost when your mother died."

"So Blackwood stole two things from me." Branch frowned. "My grandmother and a part of my mother." He reached into his vest and wrapped his fingers around his mother's necklace. He sighed through his nose and smiled again. He pressed his forehead to Symphony's head. "Don't you worry, Symphony. I'll always be right here. Nobody's going to get you or Grandma ever again."

Rosiepuff smiled with pride. "Something to know about this bond, Branch: you get what you give. Symphony will show you unfailing loyalty if you do the same for her."

Branch nodded. "I don't think we'll have to worry about that. But I may need a few flying lessons."

"Care to start now?" Rosiepuff asked. Symphony chirped excitedly and lowered herself down more.

Branch's eyes were alight with excitement. "Really?"

"After you." Rosiepuff offered.

* * *

As Creek stepped into Cybil's pod home, a tidal wave of memories washed over him. Everything overwhelmed him: the jasmine incense, the yoga mats rolled up in the corner, the instruments sitting quietly against the wall, and even the soft floor. He could practically hear the calming music of the meditation instruments.

"Have a seat." Cybil encouraged. "The tea should still be warm. I'll draw you a bath. You look like you need some Zen time; and, no offense, you smell like you haven't bathed in weeks."

"Just about a month." Creek said with a sheepish shrug. Cybil giggled softly and drifted off to the bathroom. Creek sat at the table and poured himself a cup of tea. He took a few sips, savoring the wonderful taste he hadn't experienced in so long. He looked around the room, and ghosts of the past danced across his eyes. His first time meditating. Learning yoga. The pride he felt when he finally learned to do a full split. The joy in Cybil's voice when he mastered the art of reading auras.

The overwhelming feeling returned, and Creek felt tears in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, yet they kept coming. He tried again, and suddenly he heard something shatter. With a start, he saw the fragmented remains of his teacup in his palm. He frantically searched for someplace to fix or hide the mess. The tears streamed down his face, and his breathing and heart rate quickened.

"Creek?"

The grey teen froze when he felt his mentor's hand on his back. He slowly turned and stared at her concerned face. "M-mother…"

"Easy, my boy." Cybil knelt down and pulled Creek into a hug. "Let it out. Talk. Release the negative vibes."

Creek shuddered. "I don't belong here. I'm not supposed to be here." He hiccupped and sniffled between words. "I did such a horrible thing. Why would anyone give me a second chance? I know I shouldn't have come back, but I promised Rosiepuff I would protect her. So I know I'm not supposed to be here, but how do I not be here and still protect her? Because I want to protect her. I promised I would and when I made that promise I swore I wouldn't break it." He wanted to continue, but he felt like he was rambling, so he just collapsed into Cybil's embrace and kept crying. Cybil didn't move beyond rubbing his back soothingly, allowing him to let out his tears. It seemed Creek's mental state reverted to match his new, younger age. Cybil knew he wouldn't act this way if he were his actual age.

"You are too concerned with what was and what will be." Cybil said once Creek calmed down. "Let go of your past. Keep your promise as you intended, and everything will fall into place. You will prove yourself in time. Just don't rush it and do not fret over it."

Creek sniffled again. He took a few calming breaths. "I'm afraid."

"There is nothing wrong with being afraid. Just do not let it change you again." Cybil said wisely. Creek only nodded in understanding. Cybil smiled. "You know, when Rosie told me someone was trying to talk to her through her dreams, I thought of you first. I knew you were trying to master dream-speak. I am very proud of you for mastering it so well."

Creek blushed. "I learned from the best."

Cybil hugged him tightly. "Go take your bath. Relax for as long as you like. I will make you some dinner."

"I wish you wouldn't fuss over me." Creek said in a soft voice.

"Call it a mother's habit. Now go wash up." Cybil ushered Creek to the bathroom and left him alone. Creek had to admit that a bath sounded lovely right now. So he shed his pants and slipped into the water. He sighed heavily in relief. He fingered the Phoenix Tear Crystal, still around his neck.

 _It's time to let go and change._ Creek told himself. _I can do this. At least, I hope I can._

* * *

When Rosie walked around the village after waking from her nap and saw her great-grandmother again, her heart swelled with joy. She thought for sure the entire rescue was a dream. Seeing Rosiepuff confirmed otherwise.

"Hey Grandma!" Rosie greeted as she jumped into Rosiepuff's arms.

Rosiepuff hugged her tight and kissed her head. "Hello there, Rosie."

"What're you doing?" Rosie asked. Rosiepuff seemed to just be standing in the middle of an open space, staring at the sky.

"Just keeping an eye on your father." Rosiepuff pointed up, and Rosie gasped when she saw Symphony flying overhead with Branch on her back, whooping and laughing the entire time.

"I want to do that!" Rosie clapped her hands with delight.

"Maybe tomorrow." Rosiepuff said. "Symphony still needs to build up her strength."

Rosie snapped her fingers. "Darn. Well, I guess she should have some time to relax. You too. And Creek too! How are you feeling, anyway?"

Rosiepuff laughed at Rosie's rapid speaking. Clearly the younger troll was filled with excitement. "Believe me, sweetheart, I'm feeling better than I've felt in years. Bliss's mothers even offered—or rather insisted—that they make me a new dress and coat. I wish they wouldn't go to the trouble, though."

"Aunt Satin and Aunt Chenille? Just let them do their thing." Rosie said. "They aren't called the Fashionista Twins for nothing. Besides, I think that dress has seen better days."

Rosiepuff glanced down to her sleeveless, apricot cream dress. It was so dirty it looked more tan than cream colored. It was also torn around the hem of the skirt and had a few minor rips. "It's also seen the inside of a cage for three decades." She joked. She and Rosie giggled, but Rosiepuff's laughs died off. She stared at the ground.

Rosie stared at her in concern. Was that fear she saw in her great-grandmother's eyes? "Grandma? You okay?"

Rosiepuff shook her head to refocus herself. "Yes, I'm fine." She smiled at Rosie to reassure her, and then looked past her and gasped happily. "Creek! How lovely to see you!"

Rosie turned and she smiled broadly. Creek looked much different now that he was rested and bathed. He once more wore his yellow pants, which looked very bright compared to his grey skin. His skin was freshly cleaned and his hair combed. He even smiled warmly. As always, he had the Phoenix Tear Crystal clipped around his neck.

"Rosiepuff, Princess Rosie, good to see you both." Creek said.

"And here I thought you'd be asleep all afternoon." Rosiepuff said. "You're looking well."

"As are you." Creek said politely. "Are you settling in well?"

"Yeah! She's staying with us in our pod tonight!" Rosie said excitedly. She looked to her great-grandmother. "You can sleep in my bed. I'll take the couch."

"That's very sweet of you, Rosie." Rosiepuff said. "Creek, how are you settling in? Cybil's taking care of you, I'm sure."

"Yes, and I'm thankful for it." Creek nodded. Rosie noticed that Creek spoke softly, humbly, and she took it as a sign that everything was calm for him. She hoped he would adjust well to living with the trolls again.

With a dull _thud_ , Symphony landed on the ground before the trio. Branch smiled at his grandmother and daughter, but he cast a brief glare at Creek. The grey-skinned troll bowed and stepped back.

"Have a nice flight?" Rosiepuff asked with a knowing smile.

"This is amazing!" Branch laughed. "But I think we need to get Symphony some food and water. In fact, dinner should be ready soon. We should get home."

"You want to have dinner with us, Creek?" Rosie offered.

Creek didn't even have to check with Branch. "I think I'll just have dinner with my mother, Princess."

"You can invite her too!" Rosie suggested.

"No, no, thank you." Creek said. "I'm sure you will have a lovely supper with your family. I would like to enjoy a quiet meal with my own mother." He didn't like lying to Rosie, but he knew Branch wouldn't approve of his presence at a family meal.

"Okay." Rosie nodded. "See you tomorrow!" She joined Rosiepuff and climbed onto Symphony's back.

Branch glared at Creek, a clear message in his eyes: stay away. Creek averted his gaze, and Symphony flew off. Creek sighed heavily. It would take quite some time before Branch would even consider forgiving him. Meanwhile, Creek would have to deal with the other trolls. None of them would even give him the time of day. Several would throw him disapproving glares. Yet there were a few who whispered about him with concern and surprise in their tones. If he listened, he could hear them muttering, "Scars." Creek ran his fingers down one arm, feeling the grooves in his skin from years-old mutilations via whippings and burnings.

 _These scars are a reminder of who I was._ Creek thought as he walked home. _They are my punishment I rightly deserve. But I'm home now, with my mother and a friend and even a princess who care for me._ He glanced to the royal pod. _Even Poppy seems to be getting used to me. Maybe, just maybe, she will forgive me._

* * *

 _Breathe. Stretch. Focus on the muscles working. Listen to the sounds of the forest. Inhale. Exhale. Center yourself._

" _Whoa."_

 _Blinking his eyes open, Creek looked over to see a familiar pink troll staring at him with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. He lowered himself out of his standing split position, his yoga mat separating his feet from the ground._

" _Hey there, Poppy." The ten-year-old greeted. The younger pink troll still stared at him, and he tilted his head in confusion. "What?"_

" _How did you do that?" Poppy asked in awe._

" _This?" Creek lifted his leg up and leaned over to go back into a split position._

" _That's so cool!" Poppy clapped gleefully. "How do you do that?"_

" _Lots of practice, and calm breathing." Creek laughed, lowering his leg._

" _Teach me!" Poppy jumped over to stand next to Creek before he could respond._

 _He laughed again. "Okay. You're wearing shorts under that dress, right?"_

" _Yep!" Poppy even lifted up her skirt to show Creek the blue shorts that matched her dress. The boy quickly forced Poppy to lower the skirt, his face darkening as he blushed._

" _Now just lift up your leg like this." Creek lifted one leg and pressed it to his thigh. Poppy mimicked him, wobbling a little. "Great. Now try and get it above your head while leaning towards the ground."_

 _Poppy tried, but she couldn't get her leg above her head. She bit her tongue in concentration and tried to force her leg higher. She only succeeded in toppling over, and Creek quickly went down on one knee and caught the princess in his arms._

" _Well that didn't work!" Poppy giggled. Creek laughed too. He felt a strange feeling in his heart. A feeling he would not recognize until he was a bit older. His stomach did a few flips. He blushed again as he helped Poppy stand._

" _Maybe we should try a simpler yoga pose." Creek suggested._

" _You'll teach me?" Poppy beamed._

" _Whatever will make you happy." Creek said._

 _Poppy squealed happily and hugged the purple troll. "You definitely make me happy, Creek. Thank you!"_

 _Creek returned the embrace, smiling. "You make me happy too."_

* * *

Creek woke with a start. He stared at the ceiling and sighed as he sat up. It was still the middle of the night. He had tried to go to bed early, but that plan didn't seem to work too well. He still felt restless, and his dream only brought more pain. Creek stared at his grey skin. He wished Poppy could help him regain his colors like how she helped Branch bring back his own. But that would require her to love him again.

Slowly, Creek stood from his bed and walked to the window. Cybil had meticulously kept Creek's room clean and organized, anticipating (read: hoping) for his return. Now he was back, but he didn't feel all there. He was missing so much: his colors, his friends, and his love for Poppy to name a few. Perhaps, in time, his colors would return. He had a friend in Rosiepuff and even Rosie. Maybe the other trolls would forgive him too (though he highly doubted it). But he would never regain that love he felt for Poppy. He truly did love her, and that love did not cease now.

 _Maybe I never should've come back._ Creek leaned on the windowsill and stared at the grassy area just below Cybil's pod home. Branch, Poppy, Rosie, and the Snack Pack held a mini-party to celebrate Rosie's successful mission. Many of the other trolls joined in. Who could resist a night of singing and having fun, especially with Rosie around? Creek watched them longingly.

Soon, Creek began to sing of his loneliness and depression. He hardly felt like himself anymore. Creek climbed out the window and used his hair to lower himself down to another tree branch. He started walking along the branch, staring off into space. He began a slow, waltz-like dance as he sang.

A flurry of fireflies zipped around Creek and flew off, and he reached for them wistfully. But when he saw the partying trolls again, he immediately felt the urge to turn and run. He didn't belong with them. Not anymore.

Instead of running, Creek simply snuck away and walked through the quiet streets of Bergen Town. He traveled along the rooftops with only the full moon light to guide him.

The day he betrayed the trolls haunted Creek. One moment was all it took for him to ruin his life. He acted out of fear, and it had dire consequences. For the longest time, he thought himself brave. Almost being eaten proved otherwise. Even when he tried to salvage the situation and turn his cowardice into a rescue, he failed miserably. The worst was when he hurt Poppy. He didn't tell her that he was trying to think of a plan. He didn't want to jeopardize whatever idea he was supposed to come up with. That look in her eyes when she pleaded for him to reconsider his betrayal. It made him want to cry, and he had done enough crying already.

Creek ran along the rooftop and jumped to get to the next one, his form a shadow against the moon. He landed on the chimney of the smaller house and then slid down the shingles to the ground.

He wrapped his hair around a lamppost to swing himself to the windowsill of a craft shop. Creek traced a hand across the rainbow paint on the window. He paused when he saw a photo frame for sale inside the shop, just big enough for a troll. The picture inside depicted Branch and Poppy on their wedding day.

Even being in Bergen Town brought bad memories, and Creek escaped as quickly as he could into the forest. He climbed up the nearest tree.

Creek stared back towards Bergen Town. He could just make out Troll Grove peeking over the walls. How he wished to feel like he belonged there again. What he'd give to be with Poppy again, like how it used to be. So desperate for his dream, Creek's psyche created a ghostly image of Poppy to stand before him. The ghost smiled, taking Creek's hands. Creek grinned as color passed over him, returning him to his original state. This is who he was, who he was meant to be. He began to dance with Poppy across the tree branch.

Poppy leaned in to kiss Creek, and he went forward to accept it. But then, the ghostly image of his former love faded away, as did his colors. He was thrust back into reality. A reality where he was a monster; where the trolls hated him; where Poppy didn't love him anymore.

Creek sat down on the branch, sighing softly. He stared up at the starry night sky.

* * *

 **A/N: So I actually made a music video for Creek's song at the end. Search into YouTube "Creek's Silhouette." Also, support the artist of the song I used in the video. I heard it once, and it instantly clicked in my head that this would be perfect for Creek.**


	11. The Perfect First Day Home

**A/N: Lighthearted warning: this chapter does contain bits of family fluff that is bound to rot your teeth with sweetness.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven – The Perfect First Day Home**

She first became aware of laying on something soft. It definitely didn't feel like the floor of her cage. When Rosiepuff opened her eyes, she grinned widely as she rubbed the warm blanket laying over her. She sighed happily and snuggled deeper into Rosie's bed. Even the nightgown Satin and Chenille made for her was made of cotton and comfortable. Rosiepuff only hoped Rosie wasn't too disappointed about last night. She had been so exhausted that she collapsed into bed instead of joining the party Rosie started.

 _I'll make it up to her today._ Rosiepuff decided. She heard a knock at the door. "Come on in!"

Branch poked his head into the room and grinned broadly. "Good morning, Grandma." He entered the room, carrying a box and tray with tea and all the fixings. "You still like cream and a dash of sugar with your tea?"

"Absolutely." Rosiepuff sat up in her bed and happily accepted the cup from Branch. She sipped the hot liquid. "Now _that_ hits the spot."

"You sleep all right?" Branch asked. "Was the bed comfortable?"

"I haven't slept in a proper bed in over thirty years." Rosiepuff laughed. "Believe me, this was heavenly."

Branch seemed relieved. "Great. Now, Rosie has this big plan to show you around the village and do all these fun things. It sounds like it's going to be a busy day. If you don't want to do that—if you want to stay in bed and rest—just let me know and I will tell Rosie to forget it."

"Are you kidding?" Rosiepuff scoffed, downing half her tea in two seconds. "I was deprived of the sun and seen the same inside of a cage for far too long. I want to see _everything._ You tell Rosie I'll be ready soon."

"You just let me know if you need a break. Rosie can get a little overexcited." Branch said.

"You're fussing too much. I'll be fine." Rosiepuff topped off her tea. "I just need to freshen up."

Branch set the box he held on Rosiepuff's lap. "This might help." He hugged his grandmother before leaving her to get ready. Rosiepuff set her cup down and opened the box. Her eyes shined with delight when she saw the contents.

* * *

Rosie skipped to her pod home, her smile so wide her cheeks began to hurt. Everything was finally in place. Now she just had to find the guests of honor. She had to get Rosiepuff first, or else Creek might not agree to join them.

Rosie approached the door to the pod and knocked rhythmically. _"Good morning, good morning!"_ She sang. _"The sun is shining through! Good morning, good morning—"_

" _To you!"_ Rosiepuff finished. She had quickly opened the door and stuck her head out to join her great-granddaughter. Rosie squealed in surprise, and she hugged Rosiepuff tightly.

"You're looking great!" Rosie complimented.

"Your 'aunts' did a pretty good job." Rosiepuff said. She did a spin to show off her new dress and knitted coat. It was the exact same outfit she always used to wear: a cream-colored, sleeveless dress with a magenta knitted coat and a pink satin trim with pink hearts. The clothes were new and Rosiepuff herself was freshened up. It was like her years of imprisonment melted away.

"Well we just have to go get Creek, and then we'll be ready to go!" Rosie cheered. "You ready?"

"I was born ready." Rosiepuff nodded confidently. "Let's go!"

"See you later, Dad!" Rosie called.

"See you later!" Branch waved as his daughter and grandmother ran off. He knew his grandmother was in good hands. In the meantime, he had a very important project to finish before nightfall.

Rosie and Rosiepuff approached Cybil's pod, and Rosie knocked rhythmically again. "Creek! Time to go! We're burning daylight!"

Cybil answered the door with a smile and a hug for both of them. "Creek will just be a minute. He's combing his hair."

"Hurry it up, Creek!" Rosie urged. "We're probably going to get messy today anyway!"

"I'm not afraid of a mess!" Creek called. He approached the door with a small grin on his lips. He wore his yellow pants and the Phoenix Tear Crystal, which looked so much brighter compared to his grey skin and black hair. "I just want to be presentable at least at the start of the day."

"I think you look very handsome." Rosiepuff complimented.

"Yeah, you look great!" Rosie agreed.

Creek's face felt hot. "Thanks."

"Well let's go!" Rosie urged. "There's so much we need to do!"

Creek waved farewell to his mother and Rosiepuff guided him as they followed Rosie. Rosiepuff gave Creek's hand a squeeze. "You're going to be all right."

"Right." Creek exhaled slowly. "I'm ready. Can't wait to see what Rosie has in store."

First stop for them was Biggie's home, where he already had breakfast set out and ready: pancakes, bacon, eggs, and all kinds of juice. Biggie took it upon himself to pile as much food onto Creek's plate as it could take, claiming the grey troll was far too skinny. Creek couldn't deny he was a tad malnourished, though he still only finished half of his plate. The Snack Pack mostly forgave Creek already, seeing how he was the reason Rosiepuff escaped. Besides, he already received enough punishment from Blackwood. After breakfast, Biggie shooed them off to their next adventure while insisting that he take care of the dishes. Rosie practically dragged Rosiepuff and Creek along as she excitedly showed them their new and improved home. The trolls greeted the trio warmly (mostly smiling only at Rosie and Rosiepuff). Several trolls happily chatted with Rosiepuff and reminded her that she nannied them once upon a time. Of course, Rosiepuff could identify them before they even introduced themselves. Creek stayed quiet during these times, avoiding eye contact with the other trolls. To Creek, it looked like someone took the old village and plopped it right in the middle of Bergen Town. Everything looked the way it should be: colorful pods in the trees, flowers all around on the ground, and trolls dancing and singing and playing to their hearts' content. Now, there were little shops here and there, and the trees on the edge of Troll Grove had Bergens for neighbors. Even within Bergen Town itself, there were troll-sized products so that the colorful creatures didn't feel left out.

Whenever Rosiepuff or Creek saw a Bergen, they immediately became tense. Creek looked mostly uncomfortable and fearful. He had been stuck in Chef's fanny pack during the last Trollstice, so he didn't get to see Poppy's miraculous transformation of the Bergens. Then again, he only got to hear Poppy sing for a little while; and then the next thing he knew, he was on a crazy flaming cart ride through the forest. Rosiepuff was extremely wary of the Bergens. Rosie could see hatred burning in Rosiepuff's eyes when she stared at the Bergens. Rosie never saw such a look before, much less one from her normally cheerful great-grandmother. She decided this just wouldn't do.

After lunch with King Peppy (who was still in shock at seeing Rosiepuff and Creek home again), Rosie announced, "Next, we're going to visit King Gristle and his family!"

"That sounds like a lovely idea." Peppy agreed.

The lemonade in Rosiepuff's mouth turned sour as she swallowed. "I don't think we should. The castle is far and too large for us. We may get lost."

"Oh, no!" Rosie assured. "Chad and Todd are going to pick us up to take us around Bergen Town anyway. We'll just stop by the castle first!"

"I'm really not so sure about that, Rosie." Rosiepuff said.

Creek could see Rosiepuff's discomfort even before he felt it in her aura. "I think it would be good to stay in Troll Grove for now. Take this one step at a time."

"Well then why don't we just stop by the castle?" Peppy suggested. "It will be a little introduction to the kindness of Bergens."

Rosiepuff scoffed quietly. "Kindness…right….."

Rosie held Rosiepuff's hand in both of hers. "Please, Grandma? I bet you'll love Prince Randy. He's so cute!" She pouted as best she could, pleading for Rosiepuff to agree. Rosiepuff saw a strong resemblance between Rosie's pleading eyes and the eyes Branch used to give her when he wanted an extra cookie for dessert.

Rosiepuff sighed in resignation. "Fine. Let's go."

"I'll go with you." Peppy offered. "I could use a walk." He, Rosie, Creek, and Rosiepuff started off with Rosie in the lead.

"Hi Dad!" Rosie waved to Branch as he passed them. He pushed a cart covered by a blanket, and paused so he could hug his daughter.

"How's the tour?" Branch questioned, looking to Rosiepuff.

"This new home is quite lovely." Rosiepuff said. "Barring the albeit unsavory neighbors." She glanced towards a nearby Bergen restaurant when she said that last part.

"We're actually going to visit King Gristle and his family." Peppy said.

"Sounds great." Branch said. He smiled comfortingly at his grandmother. "You're going to love them. Trust me."

Rosiepuff relaxed a little. "Care to join us?"

"Actually, I have a few more things to do." Branch said. "I'll come get you at the end of the day for Rosie's final surprise."

"Can't wait." Rosiepuff said sincerely.

Branch pushed the cart off again. He shot Creek a death glare as he left. Creek waved awkwardly. Branch glared at him like that all day. Not that Creek didn't expect that, but it was still unsettling. This was different from the irritated glare Branch used to wear when he was grey. It began to make Creek feel unsafe in Branch's company.

Once they reached the edge of Troll Grove, they found Chad and Todd waited for them. The guards lowered their palms to let the quartet climb up. Rosiepuff hesitated until Peppy gently pulled her up onto Chad's palm. Rosie eagerly yanked Creek onto Todd's hand, making Creek feel like his arm nearly got torn off.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall off." Rosie assured Creek, still holding his hand as Todd and Chad headed for the castle. Creek felt his face grow hot, and he hoped his blush wasn't too noticeable. He was completely tongue-tied standing next to the princess. He tried to step away from Rosie, but she pulled him back. "Whoa! Be careful!" Rosie laughed. "Don't get so close to the edge, Creek." She pulled him so close that their shoulders smooshed together and they were practically cheek-to-cheek. Surely Rosie could feel the burn in Creek's face now. It was like his blush radiated from his skin.

Peppy looked to Rosiepuff and saw her tense and maybe a bit angry. He nudged her to get her attention. "Hey, everything's going to be all right."

"Oh sure." Rosiepuff's tone dripped with sarcasm. "It's not like we're going to see the king of monsters and his hideous wife and equally as ugly child."

If it had been any other troll, Peppy would scold them for harboring hatred against the Bergens. His daughter worked hard to attain peace between the two kingdoms. But, of course, Rosiepuff hadn't been around for that. Her only experience with Bergens involved being eaten by them; even worse, Rosiepuff's experience with Bergens resulted her in separation from Branch, the only family she had left since the deaths of her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. Peppy was just thankful Todd and Chad couldn't hear them whispering.

Peppy put a hand on Rosiepuff's shoulder. "Trust me. Things are a lot different from what you remember. The Bergens are our friends." Rosiepuff relaxed ever so slightly. She still frowned the entire way to the castle. When Bridget answered the door, Rosiepuff had to admit that the Bergen queen looked pretty…..at least, in comparison to other ugly Bergens Rosiepuff had seen.

"Hello Rosie! King Peppy, good to see you too." Bridget greeted, ushering her guests into the castle. Chad and Todd still carried the trolls so they wouldn't have to run to keep up with Bridget. The queen noticed the extra trolls she didn't recognize. "Who are your friends?"

"This is my great-grandmother, Rosiepuff!" Rosie introduced. "And this is my friend, Creek!"

Bridget paused and took a closer look at Creek. "Hey, don't I know you?"

Creek swallowed. "Uh…..no?"

"Hey there, Rosie!" Gristle greeted, approaching his visitors with his infant son cradled in his arms. Gristle did a double-take when he saw the extra trolls with Rosie and Peppy. "Hey, aren't you that little troll Chef stuffed into a taco and tried to force-feed me?"

Creek sighed. "Hello again, King Gristle."

"You tried to eat him?!" Rosiepuff growled. Peppy put a hand on Rosiepuff's shoulder to keep her from jumping off Chad's hand and attacking Gristle. He didn't know how likely it was, but better safe than sorry.

"Well, more like I was shoved into his mouth and then he spit me out again." Creek corrected.

"Yeah, for what it's worth, you tasted terrible." Gristle laughed. Creek chuckled nervously. He quickly silenced himself when he saw Rosiepuff's glare hadn't eased.

"Gristle, you already know Creek." Rosie said. "Now I'd like you to meet Rosiepuff, my dad's grandma."

"Pleasure to meet you." Gristle bowed to Rosiepuff. "I am King Gristle. This is my wife, Bridget. And this is my son, Randy."

Rosiepuff stared at the royal Bergens with contempt. "Hello."

Peppy face-palmed. _This may be harder than we thought._

"How's Randy today?" Rosie asked, eagerly bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"He's doing much better." Gristle said, bringing the baby Bergen closer to Rosie. "I thought I would take him for a walk through the kingdom."

Rosie stood on the very edge of Todd's hand. She leaned over so Randy could see her. "Hey there, Randy! How you doing today?"

Randy giggled and reached for Rosie. That's when Peppy became aware of someone's quiet, quickened breathing. Had he not been standing right next to her, Peppy wouldn't have heard Rosiepuff hyperventilating. He glanced to her and saw that she had gone completely rigid save for her trembling hands. Her eyes were wild and she didn't breathe properly.

 _She's having a panic attack!_ Peppy quickly turned Rosiepuff so that she faced him. "Hey! Hey, Rosiepuff? Look at me." Slowly, Rosiepuff's eyes focused on him. Peppy stayed calm. "Take a deep breath. In for four seconds, out for four seconds. Come on, we'll do it together." He demonstrated the meditative breathing; and, after a few rounds of mimicking, Rosiepuff could do it without shuddering. By then, everyone realized she was in distress. But Peppy kept her focus on him. "It will pass. Just keep breathing. I'll stay right here with you. There's nothing to be afraid of. But, if you want, we can go back to the Troll Tree now."

Rosiepuff nodded eagerly, even though she still didn't speak. Chad turned and headed for the door.

"We'll come to." Rosie said. "I'm sorry, King Gristle. Maybe it was too soon to bring her here."

"No, no. I understand." Gristle assured. "Your great-grandma is part of that older generation of trolls who were still really scared of us, right? And she wasn't here when we worked so hard to get trolls and Bergens used to each other. Give her as much time as she needs."

"Thank you." Rosie curtsied a little.

* * *

Upon arriving at Troll Grove, Peppy brought Rosiepuff, Rosie, and Creek to his home to have tea. Rosiepuff finally calmed down and talked as though nothing happened. Rosie, however, still felt guilty.

"I'm really sorry, Grandma." Rosie said for the hundred time.

"It's fine, Rosie." Rosiepuff assured. "You didn't know."

"But now I do. And I won't force you to go near the Bergens until you're ready." Rosie said.

Rosiepuff only smiled and nodded in thanks. She didn't want to hurt Rosie's enthusiasm by telling her she would never go near the Bergens again. Creek took the teapot into the kitchen to refill it. Just as he left, Poppy arrived at the pod.

"Hey Dad!" Poppy greeted warmly. "Do you still have that box I was asking you about?"

"In the kitchen." Peppy said.

"Thanks!" Poppy skipped off to the kitchen. But when she stepped into the cooking area and saw Creek, she froze.

Creek turned when the door opened, and he offered a friendly grin. "Hello, Queen Poppy."

Poppy shook off her frozen expression. "Hey, Creek."

Creek went back to filling the teapot with more hot water, adding some extra tea leaves to keep the flavor strong. Then he realized Poppy still stood by the door. He noticed she seemed tense, almost nervous. Creek remained calm, hoping his own energy would transfer to Poppy and help her relax. "Something you need?"

"Uh…..that box right there….." Poppy pointed to the box on the counter. Creek stood between her and the box.

"Oh, let me get that." Creek picked up the box and brought it to Poppy. "Kind of heavy. What's in this thing?"

"It's…just for the surprise…..that's later….." Poppy shrugged as she took the box. "But don't tell Rosiepuff!"

Creek held up one hand and used the other to make an X over his heart. "My lips are sealed."

Poppy smiled a little. "Are you adjusting well? I know it's only been a day, but how are you doing?"

"Rosie has enthusiastically been pulling me back into life with the trolls." Creek said. "It's going to take a bit of time to get used to it."

"Well, Rosie's good for feeling welcome." Poppy said.

"That she is." Creek agreed.

Poppy giggled a little. "I should get going. Branch and the Snack Pack are waiting."

"See you around." Creek said cheerily.

Poppy left the pod with her package and headed back to her husband and friends. She thought back to her brief exchange with Creek. Ever since Creek returned, Poppy didn't know what to think. It still hurt to think about his betrayal. At the same time, Poppy felt a sensation like she missed Creek. To lose a friend hurt as bad as the betrayal. Poppy had yet to determine if Creek deserved a second chance, like he wanted. The casual conversation she just had helped ease of some that discomfort she felt.

"Give it a few days."Poppy told herself. "Just give it time, and then decide."

* * *

Rosie decided they needed to just walk around Troll Grove and meet some of the other trolls: Maddy in the salon, Mandy who makes the Hug Time bracelets, Aspen who nearly ran into them on his skitterboard, and Bliss who orchestrated a mini dance party in a small clearing. Several trolls came by with instruments, and it didn't take long for other trolls to follow Bliss's lead and start dancing to the music. Rosie pulled Rosiepuff into the dance while Peppy and Creek sat on a couple small rocks nearby.

Creek stared at Rosie and Rosiepuff as they danced. Both of them smiled broadly and laughed as they moved. The other trolls treated Rosiepuff kindly. None of them really spoke to him. Some still tossed him nasty glares. Others just averted their eyes. Creek expected anger or even fear from the other trolls. Still pockets of anger here and there, but Creek mostly saw discomfort.

"Something wrong?" Peppy's voice pulled Creek from his deep thoughts.

"Just thinking about the other trolls." Creek said. "I know it will take time before they get used to me again. They're whispering about me."

"Of course they are." Peppy nodded. "But you know what they're pointing out?"

Creek shrugged. "The fact that a traitor has returned?"

Peppy shook his head. "They're whispering about your scars."

Creek blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"How many trolls do you know have scars?" Peppy asked.

Creek thought about it, counting off on his fingers. "Just one: Branch has a scar on his arm from something in the forest. I think he took a spill or something when we were teenagers."

"I know several trolls who have a couple scars." Peppy said. "Aspen has taken quite a few spills. He has a small scar on his knee and his elbow from a trick that went wrong. Karma slid down a cliff and scraped up her arm. Branch has more than that scar on his arm from the things he's done in the forest. But all these trolls have scars that are small; little scrapes and cuts from minor injuries. What you have, Creek, are the marks of torture."

"Well…..yeah….." Creek shrugged. "Blackwood was horrible to me. Why would that make the trolls uncomfortable? Wouldn't they think I deserve it?"

"Maybe they do. But, ultimately, no one knows how to deal with the concept of torture." Peppy explained. "We're trolls. Habitually, we are perpetually happy creatures. We don't know how to cope with the idea of physically harming someone for pleasure. Heck, I would never consider such a barbaric punishment for any crime. The trolls were mad at you. Now, they're trying to figure out if your punishment is justifiable."

"I sold out the entire village." Creek said. "I did a horrible thing because I let my fear control me."

"And you think being enslaved and tortured is an adequate punishment?" Peppy scoffed. "Where I'm from, that's called overkill."

Creek shrugged, staring at the ground. "Maybe I do deserve it. Maybe Blackwood should've killed me."

Peppy frowned. "No. Do _not_ think like that, Creek. If you had returned with your colors intact and your body unmutilated, I would've banished you on the spot for betraying us. _That_ is an adequate punishment for people who do things without remorse. I see you, and I see a troll who has lost all hope. You lost your way, and you're trying to find it again. That is what I see: a troll who wants a second chance. You want to start anew and show that you've changed. How you show that to the other trolls is up for you to decide. But don't you _dare_ go suicidal on me. I won't stand for it. Understand?"

Creek hesitantly looked up to Peppy, and then nodded. He cleared his throat and stood. "I'm going to get something to drink for the girls. Can I get you anything?"

Peppy shook his head, and he watched Creek walk over to the juice stand near the dance area. He wasn't lying when he said he would've banished Creek for the betrayal. But seeing Creek now changed that. As king, Peppy was responsible for determining problems in the kingdom. He developed a sense of perceptiveness that allowed him to listen instead of just hear. Peppy saw that Creek had changed. Now, he just needed to grow a little more, and all would be well.

Brothers Atwood and Ignis manned the juice stand. Their original shop was in their pod home in another tree. When they heard of the impromptu party, they rushed over with refreshments for their fellow trolls. The trolls hung around the drink station, talking and laughing. But when Creek stepped forward, the trolls who noticed became silent and stepped out of the way. They stared at him. No, they stared at his scars, further proving Peppy's point. Creek tried to ignore their stares as he approached Atwood and Ignis. The brothers' smiles dropped to looks of surprise when Creek caught their attention.

"Hello." Creek kept his tone even and civil. "Mind if I grab a few drinks for Princess Rosie and her family?"

"Of course." Atwood shook off his shock first. "How about blueberry lemonade?"

"I'm sure that will do." Creek nodded.

"And…." Atwood cleared his throat. "I mean, do you want a glass too?"

Creek was rather surprised that Atwood offered. He expected to be refused service if he asked. "Yes, I would. Thank you."

Atwood got to work preparing the drinks. Ignis stared at the remnants of scratches and burns on Creek's skin. "Um…how did you….you know…..get those scars?"

"While I was a slave to a rather nasty troll named Blackwood, he would beat me whenever he felt like it or if I did something he didn't like." Creek said, shrugging like it wasn't a big deal.

Ignis swallowed. He looked afraid to ask his next question. "So…..he like…what did he do?"

"He liked to use a whip, or his knife." Creek didn't want to go into the details. But if the trolls asked, he would answer. He would be honest. "Sometimes he used a fire poker."

Ignis shuddered. Atwood's hands shook a little as he set the cups of drinks on the counter. "That's horrible…" Ignis whispered.

Creek cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"No, no!" Ignis forced a chuckle. "I asked, you answered."

"Here are your drinks." Atwood placed the cups on a tray and handed it to Creek. "Have a nice day."

Creek nodded in thanks and took the tray. Atwood's and Ignis's smiles were ingenuine, hiding their discomfort around him. Creek started back towards Peppy, only to be stopped by another troll.

"Hey." The orchid-colored troll greeted.

"Hello." Creek thought for a moment. "Moxie, right?"

"Yes!" Moxie cleared her throat, brushing off her yellow dress. Moxie had dark orchid-colored skin and eyes, and her hair was a lighter shade of the pretty color. "I just wanted to bring you this." She held out a jar of lavender-colored, creamy-looking stuff. "It's a lotion I use to soften up my skin. Maybe you can use it on your…blemishes…..and they won't look so bad?"

Creek could tell by her tone and aura that Moxie didn't mean anything harsh by saying "blemishes." If anything, she probably thought "scars" would sound offensive. Creek smiled. "Thank you, Moxie. That's very kind of you."

Moxie nodded slowly. "It won't work, will it?"

"No, I don't think so." Creek chuckled a little. "But it was still a kind gesture. Save your lotion for yourself or someone else." He excused himself and continued walking. He finally reached Peppy, and that's when a voice calling his name made him jump.

"There you are!" Dr. Plum huffed as she marched over to him. "I've been looking all over for you."

"You….you have?" Creek asked, surprised.

"How soon do you think you can come into my office for an appointment?" Dr. Plum asked, analyzing Creek and paying particular attention to his scars.

"Uh…well…." Creek didn't know how to respond to this attention. "Whenever is most convenient for you, I suppose."

"Great. How about tomorrow at around three?" Dr. Plum suggested. "I want to check your physical and mental health. You've been imprisoned for over a decade; and now that you're back, we need to measure your level of trauma and see what kind of recovery is in store for you. So I'll see you tomorrow. Three o'clock, on the dot!" She marched off, murmuring to herself in the way she did when she planned something for a medical exam.

Creek stared after Dr. Plum, and he looked to Peppy questioningly. Peppy only shrugged and grinned in an "I told you so" way.

* * *

After the dancing, Rosie had prepared a picnic dinner for herself, Rosiepuff, and Creek while Peppy mysteriously disappeared to "run an errand," as he put it. Creek allowed himself to relax more, and even laughed when Rosie told a funny story of how she once got her hair caught in some twigs and ended up looking like Karma. By the end of the day, all three of the trolls were worn out from all the excitement. Nonetheless, Creek smiled genuinely as Rosie escorted him home. Branch came to retrieve Rosiepuff, leading her to the Troll Tree.

"Keep your eyes closed!" Branch instructed, holding his grandmother's hands to guide her along.

"They're closed!" Rosiepuff laughed with her eyes shut. "They've been shut since we got into the tree! Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Branch said in a singsong voice.

Rosiepuff giggled. "What exactly are you planning?"

"Your final surprise for, as Rosie called it, 'your perfect first day home.'" Branch said. "Just be patient. We're almost there." He kept walking, leading Rosiepuff to a very specific destination on the tree.

After a while, Rosiepuff felt a rug under her toes, indicating Brach led her into a pod. "Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Not yet!" Branch let go of her hands and darted around the room. He feverishly looked over every little detail, minutely altering things here and there. "Okay. Open your eyes!"

At first, the interior light blinded Rosiepuff. When her eyes adjusted, she gasped softly.

"Surprise!" Poppy, Peppy, and the Snack Pack cheered.

Rosiepuff looked all around her. Her old pod looked just as she had left it. Her favorite cushioned rocking chair sat in the corner. The round rug on the floor looked as though someone plucked a fresh rainbow out of the sky. The deep purple couch had a blue blanket draped over the back of it. A gentle fire crackled in the fireplace, and picture frames adorned the recently dusted mantle. A short bookshelf sat near the rocking chair, and doors led to the bedroom and the kitchen area.

"Is this where you've been all day?" Rosiepuff asked Branch in an amazed smile.

"We've all been here." Branch admitted.

"We spent the entire day cleaning up and making sure it was ready for you to live in again!" Cooper cheered. He sneezed from leftover dust on his nose.

"Branch and King Peppy told us where everything went and how everything looked." Suki added.

"And now you can move in!" Poppy said happily. "Everything is prepared and ready to go."

"You've got food in the pantry." Biggie said.

"And we made you new bedding." Satin and Chenille said at once.

"And if you need anything else, you know where to find us." Peppy finished.

Rosiepuff laughed. "All right, now you're just fussing over me. This must've been a lot of work."

"Well we certainly weren't going to let Branch do it alone." Smidge shrugged. Fuzzbert nodded in agreement.

"We're really glad to have you here." Cooper yawned.

"I appreciate this." Rosiepuff said sincerely. "But now you are all tired, so march yourselves to bed."

"Yes, Grandma Rosiepuff." The Snack Pack chorused before scampering off, laughing all the way.

Peppy hugged Rosiepuff. "It's great to have you back."

Rosiepuff smiled warmly. "Thank you for coming after me, Peppy. It was foolishly dangerous, but I thank you nonetheless."

Peppy chuckled, bid her goodnight, and departed for his own home. As he left, Rosie hopped inside with a small backpack on her shoulders. "You like your surprise, Grandma?"

"It's very nice, yes." Rosiepuff nodded. "Shouldn't you be getting to bed soon?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you about that." Branch said to Rosiepuff. "Would it be all right if Rosie spent the night here? Just in case you need anything?"

"Will it make you feel better if she spends the night?" Rosiepuff asked, her eyebrow raised. Branch shrugged and nodded.

"I'll sleep on the couch!" Rosie offered.

Rosiepuff laughed. "You are more than welcome."

"Yay!" Rosie cheered. "I'm going to get into my pj's!" She skipped off to the bedroom to change.

Branch chuckled at his daughter's antics. Then he noticed a strange look in Rosiepuff's eyes. "Grandma? What's wrong?"

Rosiepuff sighed. "This has to be a dream. I'm going to wake up tomorrow, and I'll be back in that cage."

Branch hugged her tightly to reassure her. "This isn't a dream. You're home, and this is where you're going to stay. I promise."

Rosiepuff sighed again, this time with relief. "All right, young man. Off to bed."

Branch laughed. "Things never change."

Poppy hugged Rosiepuff. "Goodnight, Rosiepuff. Sleep well."

"You too, Poppy." Rosiepuff said.

Branch couldn't keep the smile off his face. He hugged his grandmother one more time. "Goodnight, Grandma. Love you."

Rosiepuff kissed his head. "Love you too, my angel." She watched her grandson and his wife leave, and the older troll let out a content sigh. It still seemed too good to be true. Once she got back into the swing of things, this would all feel real. Rosiepuff moved to the bedroom to change, and she found Rosie sitting at the vanity. The teenager had since changed into her pink and blue-heart-covered pajamas and stared in awe at a canister of green lipstick.

"This is so cool!" Rosie breathed. "I've never seen lipstick this color before!"

"Well how else do you think I get these lips?" Rosiepuff puckered hers a little for emphasis, and Rosie giggled. Rosiepuff pulled a tube of lipstick from her hair. "Never leave home without it."

"Where did you get it?" Rosie asked.

"My husband, your great-grandpa Oaken, gave that to me as a birthday present." Rosiepuff said. She pulled a nightgown from the closet and went into the bathroom to change, talking to Rosie from inside. "It was soon after we met. There was a troll I knew named Mac who made about a dozen tubes of that color lipstick, and nobody would wear it. Oaken took the box of lipstick and gave it to me on my birthday because, apparently, it matched my hair perfectly. Of course, he was right. It matched almost exactly. You should've seen the look on your great-grandfather's face. He looked so nervous. But you know what? I loved it! And from then on, I always wore that green lipstick." Rosiepuff emerged from the bathroom wearing a white nightgown, and she hung up her dress and shawl in the closet. "There should be a few extra tubes somewhere in there. You can take some if you'd like."

"Thanks!" Rosie chirped.

"Now come on, off to bed." Rosiepuff ushered Rosie off the vanity stool and into the bed.

"I'm not sleepy." Rosie protested.

"Oh yes you are." Rosiepuff said. "I can see the tiredness in your eyes. Come on. The bed's big enough for both of us."

Once Rosie settled in, Rosiepuff crawled up next to her and pulled the blanket over both of them. Rosie hugged her great-grandmother, almost relieved to feel Rosiepuff returning the embrace. Having her home made Rosie so happy. To think Rosiepuff suffered so much, and was gone for so long, and now she was home, safe and sound.

"Hey Grandma?" Rosie piped up.

"Hmm?" Rosiepuff asked.

"When I grow up, I want to be just like you."

"A senile old lady with a bad hip?"

Rosie rolled her eyes while her great-grandmother laughed. "No. I want to be brave and strong and patient and kind. Like you."

When Rosiepuff finally calmed down, she stared at Rosie somewhat strangely. "I think you already are."

Rosie shrugged. "Nah. Not really."

"Rosie, you saved me and Creek from Blackwood, even when you knew how dangerous it was." Rosiepuff pointed out. "You gave Creek the second chance he so desperately wanted. You are one of the bravest, kindest trolls I know."

Rosie rubbed the blanket with her thumb. "I think I could still use a little practice."

Rosiepuff thought for a moment. "Here. Maybe this will help." She reached up behind her neck and unclipped something. She pulled out a metal, rose-shaped locket. "I want you to have this."

Rosie stared in awe and held the locket in both hands, as though it were a fragile piece of glass. She opened it and found a picture of a troll who looked similar to Branch. The troll had Branch's cerulean skin, azure hair, and icy blue eyes. But this troll was older, and shirtless. He had a small talon on a string hanging around his neck. He also had a goatee; but not like Blackwood's goatee, which was really just a small, pointed beard sitting dead center on his chin. This troll had short, bristly hair around his mouth and tracing his jaw.

"Who's that?" Rosie asked.

"Oaken, my husband." Rosiepuff said. "He was the bravest troll in the entire village. You hold onto that locket, and let his strength be yours."

"Are you sure?" Rosie asked.

"Of course." Rosiepuff clipped the locket around Rosie's neck. "I always believed Oaken watches over us. He was protective of his family. Keep that with you, and you'll know he's always there."

Rosie shut the locket and held it close to her chest, her eyes shut. "I feel him…"

Rosiepuff hugged the younger troll. "Get some sleep, Rosie." She encouraged the girl to lay down and sleep. Rosie sighed softly as she settled down.

"Love you, Grandma."

"Love you too, little Rosie."


	12. Dance-Off

**A/N: I'm so glad you guys are liking this story. And I know all of you are anxious for Blackwood to come back. But I won't be telling you when he's coming! You'll just have to read on and find out.**

 **However, I do have a legit warning: there is a mention/implication of suicide in this chapter.**

 **For now, here's another update for the weekend! I know people might be starting school already, so this is my gift to you! Hopefully you guys had a great first week!**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve – Dance-Off**

 _Come on back._

 _It's time to come back._

 _You can't escape me._

 _Sooner or later, I'll come for you._

 _And then, you'll never escape me again._

Rosiepuff gasped and bolted upright. She breathed heavily, yet softly. She jumped when she heard a knock at the door.

"Good morning, Grandma!" Rosie called from outside. Rosiepuff jumped out of bed and quickly changed into her dress and shawl. She opened the door and put on a smile. Rosie smiled back, but then frowned worriedly. "Are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost."

Rosiepuff secretly cursed herself. Her smile couldn't hide how pale she might look. "It's nothing, Rosie. I'm fine."

Rosie's concerned frown deepened. "Another nightmare?"

Rosiepuff sighed in resignation. "Yes. But it's all right. Nightmares can't hurt you."

"But they're awfully scary." Rosie said.

"Yes, they're awfully scary." Rosiepuff agreed. "But it's nothing I can't handle."

"In that case, you want to join me, Mom, and Dad for breakfast?" Rosie offered.

"That sounds like a lovely idea." Rosiepuff agreed, following Rosie towards the royal pod.

Rosie slipped her hand into her great-grandmother's palm and gave her fingers a squeeze. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." Rosiepuff only smiled back. That alone showed her thankfulness.

It had been a week since Rosiepuff and Creek returned. The trolls started getting used to seeing their new residents. Even Creek started integrating himself into life with the trolls. Cybil and Rosie wouldn't allow him to lock himself in the solitude of his room. They also didn't overly push him into doing normal troll things. Creek went out and just walked around Troll Grove. He would socialize now and then, but most of his time he spent doing yoga and meditating. The Snack Pack were much kinder to him now that they knew his story. Rosiepuff still remained his most trusted confidant, next to his mother. Poppy even announced that the Welcome Back Party—which was to occur in three days—would celebrate the return of both Rosiepuff _and_ Creek. Poppy did not feel completely comfortable around Creek, but at least she was more open to him staying.

Branch, on the other hand, not so much. Creek didn't know if Branch distrusted him because of the betrayal or because Creek and Poppy were once in love. That was one of the hardest parts of coming back for Creek. He had to let go of his romantic feelings for Poppy. She was just his friend. Well, almost his friend. Certainly not his girlfriend or even a lover.

During breakfast, Branch noticed Rosiepuff pushed her food around her plate rather than eat it. "Grandma? Something wrong?"

"No." Rosiepuff assured. "I guess I wasn't as hungry as I thought."

"That's okay." Poppy said, finishing her juice. "You take what you need. Meanwhile, I have some queenly duties to take care of. Rosie? Care to join me?"

"Yeah!" Rosie wolfed down the rest of her breakfast and practically sprinted to the door. Poppy laughed and pushed herself out of her chair, placing a hand on her baby bump.

"Don't be gone too long." Branch warned. "The pod stage is expected any day now. You need to be in the house when that happens."

"I'll be fine, Branch. The pod stage won't come for another couple weeks." Poppy assured. She kissed him before she left, a bit of a waddle in her step.

"You worry too much, Branch." Rosiepuff laughed.

Branch rolled his eyes. "Do not." He stared at his grandmother for a moment. He could see faint dark circles under her eyes. "You didn't sleep well last night, did you?"

"No, not really." Rosiepuff admitted. "Another nightmare."

"About Blackwood coming after you?" Branch guessed. Rosiepuff only nodded. "That's the third one this week. Maybe you should talk to Cybil about these dreams."

"I don't want to worry her." Rosiepuff said. "Although I will admit these dreams concern me. What if Blackwood does return? I'm not going back into that cage, Branch. Never again."

"Of course not." Branch said firmly. "Over my dead body. Now don't worry about it, Grandma. Blackwood surely heard of the end of Trollstice when Peppy led the trolls away from Bergen Town and the Troll Tree. He's not going to come back here to look for you. Even if he does, he'll be scared away by the Bergens. He'll be too afraid of being eaten to step foot here."

Rosiepuff frowned still. "Can't say I blame him."

Branch suppressed a sigh. This was definitely something they needed to work on. Rosiepuff had yet to give the Bergens her trust. "Grandma, consider the Bergens a deterrent for Blackwood. He won't come near here with them around."

"I guess that is an upside." Rosiepuff admitted.

Branch smiled. "Hey, want to go for a ride? I want to fly Symphony around the grove."

Rosiepuff finally smiled. "I think she could use the exercise. Let's go."

* * *

Poppy planned to return soon after finishing her queenly duties, which consisted of advising the farmers' plan for the harvest and next season's crops, helping Maddy clean out her salon, and inspecting the crops. With Rosie's help, the jobs went by much faster. But when Rosie and Poppy heard from Bliss that there was a dance-off about to happen, Poppy decided it was her queenly duty to oversee such a fun event. Rosie—arguably one of the best dancers in the village—declared she would be a contender. She even plucked a tube of green lipstick from her hair and applied a layer to her lips for good luck.

Guy Diamond ran the dance-off, with his son and Bliss assisting him. Guy Diamond's son, Glint, looked like a miniature version of his father. Except he had bright red hair and a red nose to match, and he didn't always go full nude like most glitter trolls. Some days, like today, he opted to wearing a pair of metallic blue pants and fingerless gloves. Just like his father, Glint loved to dance and shake his groove thing. He often danced so rigorously that glitter would come off him and float around like a dust cloud.

"Welcome, one and all!" Guy Diamond called to the surrounding trolls.

"And a very special welcome to our illustrious queen and princess!" Glint bowed to the royals.

"Glint, Bliss, would you please do me the honor of outlining this—" Guy Diamond switched to his auto-tune voice. _"—totally awesome dance-off?"_

"With pleasure, Dad." Glint nodded. He turned and called out to the trolls. "Thank you all for joining us! This contest is a free-for-all! Anyone can come up and challenge another!"

"The challenged chooses the song! But if they so desire, they may give the song choice to the challenger." Bliss added. "The winner will be chosen by the audience! That's you lovely trolls!"

"Of course, there isn't just one winner." Glint also inherited his father's auto-tune abilities, and he switched to the autotuned voice. _"Everyone's a winner!"_

"To start off this competition," Bliss announced. "I challenge _you_ , Glint! Pick your tune."

Glint bowed to accept the challenge, and he put a finger to his lip in thought. "I've got it." He approached Suki, who manned her Wooferbug and controlled the music. He whispered to her, and Suki started the song. Glint struck a few poses, and then began to dance and sing. Glint was as flamboyant as his father, with slick moves and fast spins that sent glitter flying.

Several trolls whistled and clapped for Glint's performance. He bowed to them, and then gestured for Bliss to take her turn. Bliss smirked playfully, confident in her abilities. Rosie cheered for her friend. Bliss's dance style included plenty of hip movement and flirtatious smirks, making several boy trolls her age swoon and faint. Of course, she and Glint had been dating for over a year, so the glitter troll was (mostly) immune to Bliss's flirts.

Now that each troll had a few verses to showcase their work, it came time for them to take the song line-by-line. The two trolls had to bring out all their energy and finish off strong. If one of them flubbed, it would decrease their chance to win. Just because it was a casual competition didn't mean it was any less of a race.

The two trolls ended their dance, and the audience cheered. By their cheers, Bliss was determined the winner this time. Glint accepted the decision, and bowed to Bliss respectively. Bliss curtsied back.

"All right! Not a bad start!" Bliss called out to the crowd. "Who's next?"

Sometime during the dance-off, after several pairs and even groups of trolls faced each other, Rosie had a feeling she was being watched. She looked around, and her eyes landed on a lone figure sitting on a mushroom on the outskirts of the dance-off. Rosie slipped away from the crowd and climbed on top of the mushroom, sitting next to the grey troll she knew so well.

"Hey there, Creek." Rosie greeted.

"Hello, Princess Rosie." Creek nodded back.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Rosie laughed. "Just call me 'Rosie.'"

"Right." Creek rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Rosie shrugged. "Just call me by my name. You're my friend."

Creek shrugged this time. "I guess I just don't feel like it yet."

"You've been here a week." Rosie pointed out innocently. "You ought to be used to it by now."

Creek smiled a little. "I'm sure I'll get used to it soon enough."

Rosie nodded, satisfied with that answer. "You want to challenge somebody?"

"Nah. I don't think so." Creek shook his head.

"Why not?" Rosie asked. "Cooper said you're one of the best dancers in the village."

"Well, Cooper exaggerates." Creek said. "I think I'll skip this time. I don't want to spoil anything."

"How will you spoil anything?" Rosie asked.

"I just don't want anyone to be uncomfortable." Creek said. "I know the trolls are still getting used to me."

"It'll happen faster if you actually do things with them." Rosie said.

"Thank you, Rosie. But I think I'll just stay up here where I won't cause trouble." Creek said.

Rosie didn't really like that answer. She smirked craftily. "Suit yourself, Creek."

"Let's give our dancers a hand!" Guy Diamond called. "Now, who's next?"

Rosie jumped off the mushroom and onto the dance floor. "Count me in!" The trolls erupted into cheers for their princess.

"All right! Now it's a party!" Guy Diamond cheered. "And who will you challenge?"

Without hesitating, Rosie declared, "I challenge Creek to a dance-off!"

The trolls simultaneously gasped, and everyone stared at Creek. The grey troll became completely frozen with a deer-in-the-headlights look in his eyes.

"Well you heard her, Creek!" Guy Diamond called. "Come on down!" Quite suddenly, a couple trolls pulled Creek off his mushroom seat and pushed him out onto the dance floor despite his yelps and protests.

Creek gulped. "Uh, Rosie? Are you sure about this?"

"What's the matter?" Rosie taunted playfully. "Scared you'll lose?"

Creek scoffed softly. "I am not afraid to lose. In fact, I'll probably beat you."

"Then prove it." Rosie challenged. "Bring it on."

Creek finally grinned. "Very well, Princess. Then I will let you choose the song, and I will out-dance you regardless of the tune."

Rosie laughed good-naturedly. "Oh, this is going to be fun. Ready, Creek?"

"After you, milady." Creek bowed elegantly.

Rosie whispered something to Bliss, who passed the message along to Suki. The DJ started up the music, and Rosie began her song and dance. Of all the trolls in the village, Rosie rivaled Glint, Guy Diamond, and Moxie as best dancer. She moved in perfect rhythm with the song, letting the beat control her body. At one point, Rosie hopped up, bounced off a small mushroom stool, and landed on a rock that had just enough flat space for her to dance. She continued to move and sing, to the enjoyment of the crowd. Rosie finished by jumping off the edge of the rock and landing perfectly on her feet. She did a little spin, and then gestured to Creek in a "Come at me" way. It was his turn, and he was ready.

Creek moved similarly to Rosie, responding more to the lyrics than the notes. On one line, Creek slid down on his knees and put on a mocking look of pleading, exaggerating his pout and folding his hands beggingly. Rosie rolled her eyes, but grinned in amusement. Creek really did have talent in dancing. He smiled broadly with pure joy, and he jumped to his feet to continue.

Rosie had her hands on her hips in a sassy manner as she approached Creek. He matched her snarky expression, and they circled each other. Creek continued the dance, and was surprised to see Rosie match him move-for-move.

Suddenly, it wasn't a competition between the two teenagers. They danced completely in sync, using each other's moves and even dancing with each other. It appeared as though the two trolls shared the same body with how easily they moved together.

When Rosie and Creek finished, they bowed respectively to each other. The trolls cheered loudly. Creek tried to back away, but Rosie grabbed his hand and kept him near her. But when Guy Diamond called for a vote, the volume of cheers remained the same for both trolls. Creek interlocked his hand with Rosie's, and he raised their hands to the sky in victory. Poppy applauded her daughter and Creek, in awe at the talent from both trolls. But she noticed something about Creek. He seemed to be…...glowing? Yes, there was a faint, light purple glow around Creek's body. It flickered and went out, but Poppy was sure she saw it.

Once the trolls' elation died down, Rosie and Creek moved off the dance floor and allowed other challengers to duel.

"That was so great!" Rosie pulled Creek into a hug.

"Yeah!" Creek laughed, returning the embrace with rigorous enthusiasm. He surprised himself with how excited he felt. But when he saw a familiar blue king, Creek let go of Rosie and took a couple steps back. Rosie turned and ran to jump into Branch's arms.

"Did you see that, Daddy?" Rosie squealed in delight. "Wasn't that cool?"

"You were wonderful, baby girl. As always." Branch said with a smile. He refused to acknowledge Creek in any way. Creek took another step back.

"Hey Creek!" the grey troll spun around at the voice, and he saw several trolls running up to him with wide smiles. "Hey, can you show me how you did that?" one of the male trolls asked.

"Yeah, me too!" a female clapped her hands excitedly.

"R-really?" Creek asked, surprised.

"What was that thing you did? Where you spun around but your arms were spread like you were flying?" one of the teenage trolls tried to mimic what he saw Creek do, but he only fell over.

Creek swallowed back his nervousness. "Well, first, you need your arms straighter. They help keep your balance. And keep your weight on the ball of your foot."

A couple trolls tried, but didn't get it quite right. "Show us!" one of the younger teenagers pleaded, pulling on Creek's hand. The other trolls chimed in their agreements, and Creek relaxed somewhat. He started demonstrating the moves he used during the dance-off.

Rosie saw the interaction and happily hurried over to help. Branch reached out to stop Rosie, but his grandmother gently smacked his arm to stop him.

"Branch, stop it!" Rosiepuff hissed. Even Symphony clacked her beak as though to admonish Branch.

"I don't want him near my daughter." Branch growled quietly, making sure none of the other trolls heard their conversation.

"What is the worst that can happen if Creek spends time with your daughter?" Rosiepuff demanded.

"He could cause harm to her." Branch snapped.

"He is not nearly as harmful as you think." Rosiepuff argued.

"He betrayed us." Branch growled.

Rosiepuff glared at him. "You know, something tells me your dislike for Creek stems from more than just anger at his betrayal. You're jealous of him."

"I am not!" Branch huffed. Symphony nudged him, nipping at his hair. Branch pushed her beak away in frustration before looking back to his grandmother. "Creek doesn't belong here."

"You want to talk about not belonging?" Rosiepuff snapped. "How about the fact that we don't belong living in Bergen Town? Surrounded by _Bergens_?"

"The Bergens aren't a danger to us like Creek is." Branch argued.

"They are _ten times_ more dangerous than Creek could ever be!" Rosiepuff scoffed. "I hold Poppy to a high standard, but she is foolish to think we are safe here."

"Why are you so against the Bergens?" Branch demanded. "How can you expect me to forgive Creek when you can't forgive the Bergens?"

Rosiepuff's glare reached a level of fury that Branch never saw before. "Creek didn't take me away from you. A Bergen did. A _Bergen_ tore apart our family and it took _decades_ to bring it back together again." She turned on her heel and marched off in her anger.

Branch opened his mouth to call her back, yet nothing came out of his mouth. He sighed heavily. In all honesty, what did he have to say to argue with his grandmother's logic? This was deep-seated trauma she had to deal with, and Branch didn't really know how to help her even when he experienced similar trauma.

Symphony nuzzled her head against Branch's to comfort him. Branch petted the phoenix's head. "Come on, Symphony. Let's find some lunch."

* * *

 _Branch sat on the floor in the guest bedroom of the royal pod. He had his knees pulled up to his chest and his eyes stared emptily into space. It had been eight years since his grandmother was taken from him, and close to eight years since the trolls escaped Bergen Town. Branch found a place to start building the bunker he always wanted to make, and he started working on it soon after the trolls arrived in their new home. A few weeks ago, Branch injured himself while on a scouting mission, and King Peppy insisted that the grey troll stay in the royal pod until he fully healed._

 _Though it may sound terrible, King Peppy was secretly glad Branch got that injury. Branch couldn't ignore Peppy's and Dr. Plum's direct orders to stay in the royal pod to heal. Peppy took advantage of having the boy close, and he tried to coax Branch's happiness back. He showed as much love and compassion as he could for the grey troll without overwhelming him. Poppy was always around to lend a hand. What accidentally sent Branch over the edge was when Poppy tried to sing him to sleep with the very same song Branch sang when Rosiepuff was taken. Obviously, Poppy didn't know the song was such a tremendous trigger for Branch; but when he screamed at her, she got the point that he didn't like that song._

 _From there, Branch sank deeper and deeper into the depression that already consumed him. Not even Peppy could pull him out this time. Still, the king continued to try._

 _Branch heard a soft knock on the door, and he glanced over to see Peppy entering with a tray of food. "Hello Branch." Peppy greeted with a smile. He knelt down beside Branch, setting the dinner tray down and trading it for the lunch tray, untouched by Branch. "You should eat something. You're a growing young troll."_

 _Branch didn't answer._

 _Peppy sighed. "Maybe you and I can go for a walk tomorrow. See if your leg is still sore." This was mostly a ruse. Branch's leg healed days ago._

 _Branch still didn't move._

" _I'm right here, Branch." Peppy's voice was soft, almost pleading. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise you, I am not leaving."_

 _Finally, Branch looked to his godfather, pretty much the only troll who openly showed him any compassion. Fresh tears sprung up in his eyes and made new trails in his tearstained cheeks. Peppy gently wrapped his arms around Branch for a soft hug. Branch didn't return the embrace, but he didn't pull away either._

" _We'll go for a walk tomorrow." Peppy decided. "Hopefully the clouds tonight will clear up by morning. Goodnight, Branch." He exited the room, leaving Branch to his thoughts._

 _An hour later, Branch stood up. He wore only his shorts. His vest lay folded neatly on the bed. But he wouldn't need it where he was going. Branch stepped over his dinner and slipped out the window. Most of the trolls were asleep. Some of them stargazed, including several happy couples and parents with little ones. The sight made Branch's heart hurt. He moved to the trunk of the tree and climbed down, out of sight from the other trolls._

 _Then Branch started walking. He couldn't see a thing in the darkness. It was a new moon tonight, and clouds began rolling in to cover the light of the stars. Thanks to Branch's heightened senses—mainly his hearing and tactile senses—and his knowledge of the forest, he could find his way to his destination. He didn't trudge nor hurry. He just walked. After several minutes, when Branch was far from the village, he arrived at a collection of rocks and boulders sitting on the banks of a river. Branch climbed up the tallest rock, which had a small overhang that jutted out over the river. The heavy rain this year raised the river enough to give it some powerful rapids, which Branch could hear right below him. He patted the ground with his foot until he felt the edge of the rock, and he inched himself closer until his toes hung over the edge. In inhaled slowly, and exhaled quietly._

 _Branch shut his eyes, and he took a step forward._

 _Suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist and yanked him backwards and away from the edge. Branch and his savior stumbled, and they fell to kneeling positions. His savior hugged him tightly. Branch felt something soft, like yarn. He could smell a rose-scented perfume._

 _Branch's breathing hitched. "G-Grandma?" He wrapped his arms around her. "You're here…you're here….." Branch didn't dare let go. But he felt Rosiepuff's grip loosen. "No, please! Don't go!" He held her tighter. "Don't go! Please, please don't go. Please don't go." Tears pricked at his eyes again. "I'll do anything. Just don't go."_

 _He felt Rosiepuff hugging him again, and he let out a shaky exhale as he leaned into her embrace. He heard her humming an old lullaby, and he soon dozed off still in his grandmother's arms._

* * *

When Branch opened his eyes, he felt trails of coolness on his face. He pushed himself upright and wiped away the tears on his cheeks and in his eyes. He rubbed his face, happy that Poppy wasn't here to see him like this. It was four in the morning. If Poppy wasn't in bed, she might be in the bathroom.

He hadn't had that dream since he was a young teen. No matter how depressed he became, Branch never considered suicide as the answer. Yet one night, he had a dream that he tried to throw himself off a rock and into the river. But his grandmother saved him. At the time, Branch took it as a sign from his seemingly deceased grandmother: to keep fighting and keep living, for her sake if not for his. So, he kicked himself into shape and did what he could to warn the trolls of the dangers of the forest, including the Bergens.

Now that Branch knew his grandmother was alive, he wasn't sure what to make of the dream. Had it been a sign from Rosiepuff? Did she somehow use Blackwood's magic to keep an eye on him, and then later communicate with him when he was depressed? Did she learn how to dream-speak, as Creek did?

" _BRANCH!"_

Branch's heart leaped to his throat at his wife's scream. He scrambled out of bed—dressed only his boxers, mind you—and sprinted towards his wife's calls. Rosie joined him, both of them concerned. When they arrived at the living room, their jaws dropped.

Poppy knelt in front of a small section of the pod fenced off from the rest of the royal home. Previously, the sectioned-off part of the pod only had some loose dirt. Now, there was a large flower bud poking from the soil. The bud was deep purple in color. Poppy's baby bump had disappeared. Happy tears trickled down her cheeks.

"The pod stage." Rosie gasped.

Poppy nodded. "I got up feeling what I thought was just cramps. Turned out to be this."

Branch checked the baby pod worriedly. "You think it's healthy enough? I feel like the pod stage came too early."

"I'm sure it's fine." Poppy assured. "I've seen a lot of baby pods, and this one looks perfectly healthy. We'll have Dr. Plum look it over in the morning." She shakily stood. There was wetness on her nightgown from when her water broke. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to change nightgowns. We could all use a little more sleep."

Branch still stared at the baby pod. Tears pricked at his eyes. "Wow…"

"This is so cool." Rosie breathed. "Is the fence really necessary?"

Branch glanced to the short, white picket-fence around the baby pod. "Of course the fence is necessary. Don't be ridiculous."

Rosie rolled her eyes. _Typical paranoid Dad._

* * *

At a more reasonable hour, Rosie retrieved Rosiepuff and Creek and practically dragged them to the royal home to see her unborn sibling. Thankfully, Branch was off riding Symphony and spending quality time with his new phoenix partner. Poppy was home, and happily welcomed her guests.

"Poppy, you should be very proud." Rosiepuff said. "The pod looks very healthy."

"Dr. Plum is coming to check it later." Poppy said. "But I like the look of the pod, too."

Rosiepuff gently put her hand on the bud of the flower. "I feel the baby moving already. He or she is going to be quite the active little troublemaker."

"He." Rosie clarified.

"What?" Poppy asked.

"It's going to be a boy." Rosie said.

"How do you know?" Creek asked.

"I just know." Rosie shrugged. "When this pod blooms, I will have a baby brother."

"I will bet you ten cupcakes that you are wrong." Creek joked.

Rosie raised an eyebrow. "You're on. Ten cupcakes, homemade, all different flavors, to the winner." She held out her hand.

Creek took it and gave it a firm shake. "Deal."

"Oh, I am a terrible host!" Poppy lightly face-palmed. "I'll get some drinks for everyone." She hurried to the kitchen.

"Here, come feel!" Rosie urged Creek.

"Oh I don't think that's approp—" Creek didn't get to finish before Rosie pulled his hand closer to the pod. He didn't feel completely comfortable touching the birthing pod of Poppy and Branch's baby. If Branch saw him, he'd be dead in seconds. But he couldn't help his awe at feeling the life moving within the flower bud.

"Isn't that amazing?" Rosie breathed.

Creek stared at Rosie. Their faces were close enough together that he could take in every detail of her features: her gentle smile, the sparkle of her glitter freckles, the starlight that seemed to dance in her eyes.

"Yeah…..." Creek breathed. "Amazing…"

* * *

 **A/N: Hope that didn't get too depressing with Branch there.**


	13. Forgiveness

**A/N: I reached over 100 reviews! Yay! Can't wait to hit 200! (at least I hope I hit that many)**

 **I know a lot of you must be curious about my take on troll pregnancy, and I can only say that everything will be explained in later chapters. Until then, here's a chapter that may (hopefully) hit you in the feels!**

 **Tomboyfriend – Yay! I made you obsessed! :D Glad you enjoy this story!**

 **Feanwen – Yeah, it's probably weird for Poppy. But any relationship between Creek and Rosie beyond friendship isn't official yet.**

 **Guest – Crosie? Hmm, we may need to work on that. :D**

 **Mlpfanceline1 – Congratulations on being review 100!**

 **Jpbake – How about, if you're right, I'll send you ten cyber cupcakes with digital sprinkles on top?**

 **Nanabelle – Unless the situation really calls for it, I want to keep the characters' personalities the same as what we see in the movie. I'm glad to know I'm doing well in that area!**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen – Forgiveness**

 _Creek experienced plenty of group hugs. It made Hug Time so much more fun when more trolls participated. But a bunch of trolls together in a warm embrace is WAY different compared to a bunch of trolls stuffed in a fanny pack. Even worse: the fanny pack smelled like it hadn't been washed in twenty years._

" _Creek, your hair is tickling my nose." Suki complained._

" _Sorry." Creek said. "Cooper, would you get your foot off my stomach, please?"_

" _My bad." Cooper tried to move his foot, only to knee Fuzzbert by mistake._

 _Creek sighed. He wiggled a little to get more space, except he and his friends were crammed together. In that Bergen's stupid fanny pack. He wished there was a hole somewhere so he could see where they were going. Then again, where else would they go except Bergen Town? Once Poppy made sure everyone else was safe, she'd rally the trolls to save him and the rest of the Snack Pack._

 _Poppy. That look on her face when she tried to save him. If only he could've held onto her hair tighter. Creek would_ never _blame Poppy for him being taken. He just wasn't fast enough to outrun the Bergen. He wasn't strong enough to hold on when she threw her hair to him. But she would come after them._

 _Wait a minute. Poppy was going to come after them. Of course she would, she's Poppy!_

Oh no. _Creek paled._ She'll be killed! I have to figure out a way out of here. _Creek thought about it._ Yeah. If I can get us out of here before Poppy gets to Bergen Town, we'll all be safe. _Creek felt someone squirm behind him, and he ended up being squished between the twins._ This may be harder than I thought.

* * *

 _No amount of wiggling or struggling could get the zipper open or even tear a hole into the fabric. Satin had a pair of sewing scissors in her hair, but she broke them when she tried to cut the fanny pack open. Before the trolls knew it, they were in Bergen Town, the one place they never wanted to see. Even worse was when the Bergen—apparently named Chef—presented them to the king of the Bergens, who declared Trollstice would make a comeback._

 _Which made them the main course._

 _The only upside to being thrown into a cage was that they weren't in the stinky fanny pack anymore. Creek was the last to fall into the cage, and the_ clang _of the door shutting and the_ click _of the lock seemed to echo in his head._

" _Shh, don't cry, Mr. Dinkles!" Biggie shushed in a highly anxious tone. "Guys, Mr. Dinkles is REALLY FREAKING OUT!"_

" _Mew." The glowworm said._

" _Whoa, whoa. Everyone, we must all remain calm." Creek said soothingly. He pulled out a comb and ran it through his hair, trying to start a meditative chant amongst his friends. "Cooooommb."_

" _That's right. A calm troll is a tasty troll." Chef's voice behind him made Creek freeze, and all the trolls fearfully stared up at the Bergen woman. She pulled out a recipe book to show them. "And you're a key ingredient in my recipe for success."_

 _Creek paled when he read some of those recipe names. Troll slaw? Filet of troll? Beef trollganoff? Spicy tuna troll?!_ Do we really taste that good to these guys? _Creek wondered._

" _You see, he who controls the trolls controls the kingdom." Chef explained. "And I, I am that he!"_

" _You're a dude?" Cooper asked with a confused look on his face._

 _Creek wanted to tell Cooper to shut up, but Chef moved first. She quickly sliced up a lemon and squeezed some of the juice into his eyes, causing him to shout in pain. Creek repressed a sigh._ Well done, Cooper. _He thought sarcastically._ Well done.

 _Chef had a malicious smile on her face now. She stared at the trolls as though they were precious gems. "By this time tomorrow, I'll be queen, and all of Bergen Town will get exactly what they deserve. True happiness!" She laughed maniacally, and the trolls quivered in fear._

 _When she was finished laughing like the crazy person she was, Chef hurried off to find the rest of her recipe books. As soon as she was out of earshot, Creek found himself barraged with questions._

" _What do we do now, Creek?"_

" _How are we going to get out of here?"_

" _Should we try to escape?"_

" _Is Poppy going to save us?"_

" _What do we do?"_

" _I don't want to be eaten!"_

" _Hey, hey!" Creek snapped, silencing his friends. He fought to remain calm and cool. "Everyone just stay calm. We are going to be all right."_

" _Creek, we've been captured by Bergens!" Guy Diamond whimpered. "We're going to be served fried and dipped in butter!"_

" _You think so?" Creek scoffed. Most of his friends nodded. "Well I don't. Poppy is coming for us, I know it. We must get out of Bergen Town before she gets here, or she might be captured too. Now if we stay calm, we can figure a way out of here. But we won't gain anything from losing our heads. Understand?" The trolls before him nodded. Creek relaxed. "We still have until tomorrow night to think of a plan. We just have to keep our heads."_

 _Then, Chef returned and plopped the trolls' cage onto a cart. She ordered the scullery maid to push the cart after her, and the two of them met up with King Gristle and headed for the dining room._

" _Creek?" Suki gulped. "I'm scared."_

" _Yeah, me too." Cooper agreed. The rest of the Pack murmured their agreements too._

 _Creek regarded them with pity. He never heard this kind of fearful tone before. Sure, he heard them scream when they told ghost stories around the fire, but this terror they felt was genuine. He gestured them forward, and the friends came together in a comforting group hug right as their Hug Time bracelets went off._

" _We are going to be all right." Creek whispered. "Promise." His friends nodded, beginning to relax._

 _They tensed up again when double doors opened, and the scullery maid Bergen pushed them into the dining room where more Bergens cleaned up and prepared for Trollstice._

" _This is going to be the best Trollstice ever!" the Bergen king declared. "Such a great idea I had."_

" _Yes." Chef agreed. "Tomorrow is Trollstice, everyone, and it must be perfect!"_

" _Yes, Chef!" the Bergen servants and guards chorused._

" _Feels great to be ordering everyone around again." Chef said with a satisfied grin._

Oh, I'm sure. _Creek glared at Chef. He could see she had an ulterior motive here. Something sinister was going on._

" _And to mark the occasion, Your Highness, look!" Chef pulled out a bib from a box on the table. "I found your old troll bib!"_

" _Oh, wow!" the young king breathed. "I bet you still fit." He pulled the bib strings around his neck, but struggled to get the strings together to tie it. By the time he got it, the bib was strangling him. "Like a glove." The king choked out. He gasped when the bib suddenly snapped, allowing a more adequate amount of air into his airway._

 _Cooper suddenly burst out laughing. "Shh!" Creek and the other trolls hissed. Creek had to admit that it was pretty funny, but if they pushed their luck, they'd be snacks before Trollstice even happened._

 _Just like Creek expected, the young Bergen king marched up to them angrily. "Oh, you think that's funny? Well we'll see who's laughing when I bite your yummy head off! When I bite all y'alls yummy heads off!" The trolls cowered, and Creek noticed the king's eyes darting around as though to count them. "Wait a minute. Chef, this isn't enough yummy heads to feed all of Bergen Town!"_

 _Creek saw Chef's confident look falter._ Ha! Now we've got her! Poppy and King Peppy would've hidden the rest of the village by now.

" _How are we supposed to have Trollstice if there's not enough trolls?" the Bergen king demanded._

" _Oh, there's plenty more where that came from, Sire." Chef assured with a smile._

Yeah, right. _Creek just managed to stop his snort._

" _Are you sure?" the Bergen king asked suspiciously. "Because I promised everyone a troll."_

" _No, no, no! Sire, everything will be fine." Chef said confidently. "If I were truly worried, would I be willing to do this?"_

 _Suddenly the cage door was open. Before Creek could react, Chef wrapped her fingers around him and pulled him from the cage. She slammed the door shut to keep the other trolls inside. Chef froze and glared at one of the chandeliers. Creek followed her gaze, but saw nothing. He thought he sensed a familiar aura, but his thumping heart distracted him from his aura-sensing._

" _Oh, my first troll!" the Bergen King's voice went up a few octaves in his excitement._

 _Chef pushed Creek into the king's chubby hands. "Go on. Eat, King Gristle. Enjoy a taste of true happiness." She twirled a finger around Creek's hair, and he shuddered. He hadn't expected to be eaten so soon after being captured. He thought he would have more time to think of a plan and get everyone out of there. Instead, he had to suffer the horrid smell of King Gristle's halitosis-ridden mouth._

 _Gristle brought Creek closer and closer to his mouth. His jagged, uneven teeth came an inch from Creek's face._

" _Shouldn't we wait for Trollstice?" Gristle asked._

 _The rest of the Snack Pack sighed in relief._

" _Sire, every day is Trollstice when you have trolls." Chef pointed out._

Wait, what? _Creek yelped when Chef took him again. In no time at all, she prepared a taco shell with all the fixings and stuffed Creek inside. She served the troll taco to Gristle on a fancy plate._

" _Yeah, I guess." King Gristle agreed hesitantly. He lifted the taco and brought it to his mouth._

 _Creek decided he could live with being eaten. He couldn't live with that annoying sound Gristle made as he prepared to eat his troll snack._

" _But my dad said the first one should be special." Gristle protested._

 _Again, the Snack Pack sighed in relief. Creek quietly sighed too. He may survive after all._

" _Well you're the king now." Chef pointed out, tossing a dash or two of tabasco sauce onto the troll taco._

 _Creek grimaced in disgust. The sauce was awfully sticky._

" _Yeah! I am the king!" Gristle nodded._

 _Again, with that dumb sound!_ Oh just eat me already! _Creek groaned silently._

" _But I think I want to share this moment with all the kingdom." Gristle decided._

Fine. _Creek thought._ Then just get me out of—

" _Eat it!" Chef ordered, shoving the taco and Creek entirely into Gristle's mouth._

 _It took a second for Creek to register that he was in Gristle's mouth. The smell was worse than he thought. He threw up a little in his mouth as a result. Of course, now that he was past the teeth, next came the esophagus. Hopefully, when he hit the stomach acids, it would be a quick death. Or maybe when Gristle chewed, the force of his teeth chomping would instantly crush Creek's skull or break his neck. Worst case scenario: Creek would be conscious while Gristle savored him and chew his body to pieces, where he would most likely die from blood loss alone._

…

 _Wait a minute._

 _WAIT A HAIR-RAISING MINUTE!_

" _I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Creek burst out of the taco and hugged Gristle's uvula. The Bergen king choked on his would-be snack, and he hacked up Creek into his hands. "Don't eat me!" Creek pleaded. "Eat someone else! Anyone else! Everyone else! But not me!"_

 _Gristle stared at Creek strangely, as though wondering why his snack talked back to him. Chef frowned at Creek. "But the king wants to be happy_ now _."_

" _Wait, wait!" Creek begged. "There must be some other way. I'll do anything."_

 _Chef paused, and then grinned thoughtfully. "You know, King Gristle, perhaps this little troll will be useful to us. Why don't you hold onto him?"_

" _Aww." Gristle pouted. "But I almost felt happiness! I could just feel it. And then it was gone."_

" _Come Trollstice, you will feel more happiness than you could ever imagine." Chef assured. "For now, I believe it would be best to keep this little thing alive."_

" _Well, I always wanted a pet troll." Gristle shrugged. He gripped Creek in one hand and licked his hair as though he were an ice cream cone. "And he tastes sweet!"_

 _Creek shuddered in disgust. He knew the supposed sweetness might be from the honey-based shampoo he used. That didn't make him feel any better. Next thing Creek knew, Gristle shoved him into the medallion clasping his cape around his neck._

* * *

 _Once Creek could calm down (and get used to the cramped space inside the medallion), he took the chance to relive what just happened. It all seemed like a lucid dream. One second, he was with his friends and assuring them they would all be okay. The next second he was in Gristle's mouth. Then he was locked in the medallion. Everything just happened so fast._

 _Now that he had time to think, Creek mulled over what he said to King Gristle and Chef. He told them to eat anyone except him. He told them he would do anything if they just wouldn't eat him. Luckily, he could hear Gristle's movements, and he could confirm that the Bergen king didn't eat any of Creek's friends. Chef wouldn't hurt the other trolls, because she was waiting for Trollstice. At least, Creek hoped so. Why did he tell Chef that he would do anything? Even the fear Creek felt in that moment didn't seem real. That fear he felt just seemed too powerful, too crippling. Not even the moment Chef snatched him generated that level of terror. Well, obviously, this means Creek spoke out of fear. He didn't mean anything that he said. Yes, that's right! It was all an elaborate ruse. To buy him time to think of a plan._

 _Creek knew what to do: he had to get out of that medallion and free his friends and get them all home. At the moment, there were two problems: Creek couldn't open the medallion from the inside and he had no idea where his friends could be. Actually, make that three problems: Poppy. Not that Poppy was a problem herself. Heavens, no. But surely she would be in Bergen Town soon. If Creek didn't find a way out soon, Poppy might be captured too. He would have to be smart for this to work._

 _First, he must escape the medallion. Gristle wasn't the brightest disco ball in the dance hall, which meant escape should be easy. Once he got away from Gristle, he would just need to avoid Chef and find his friends. To keep them securely locked away, Chef would hold the caged trolls in the kitchen. Step Two: sneak into the kitchen and free his friends. Step Three: make sure Poppy wasn't there yet. Step Three-and-a-half: if Poppy_ is _there, find her. Step Four: get the heck out of there and go home._

 _Perfect. He had a plan. Now all Creek had to do was wait for Gristle to pull him out like a troll lollipop. Maybe Creek could avoid the licking again if he got away fast enough. He would even do the unthinkable and bite Gristle if he had to. Creek settled in the cramped space of the medallion. He tried to breathe meditatively. There didn't seem to be much air to breathe in there, anyway._

 _Creek waited…..and waited….and waited some more….and became rather annoyed when a few hours passed and Gristle didn't pull him out. Meditation helped ease his boredom as he listened to Gristle babble like an idiot during his date with some Bergen named Lady Glittersparkles, as if that were a real name._

 _Wait, the locket popped open!_

 _Creek gasped at the sudden rush of fresh air and light, and he frantically looked around. He jumped when he saw a Bergen right in front of him, and Gristle snatched the purple troll from the locket._

" _I've been savoring this little guy." Gristle gloated to his date._

 _Creek breathed heavily. The ground looked too far down. His vision grew blurry and his mind disoriented. All he could do was squeak out, "Help." He hardly finished saying "Mercy!" when Gristle shoved him back into the medallion. When he found himself back in that wretched, confined space, Creek cursed himself. He didn't act! He had his chance and he didn't run! Great._

Next time. _Creek reassured himself._ Next time, for sure.

 _Wait, they were moving. Wow, Gristle was moving fast. Now he was spinning?_ Oh great. _Creek groaned, his stomach already churning._ He's skating with his date. Wonderful. _Creek enjoyed skating, especially ice skating. But he could only feel the sensation of the skating and spinning and jerking movements. The vertigo made him sick to his stomach._

 _Thankfully, the skating only lasted until Chef broke up the party. Lady Glittersparkles took off, to Gristle's dismay. Creek willed his stomach to settle. Of course, it lurched again when Chef requested that Gristle hand Creek over to her. Gristle seemed disappointed, but allowed Chef to take Creek after they returned to the castle._

 _Chef brought Creek to the kitchen, locked the door behind her, and unceremoniously dropped Creek on the counter. Just as Creek got to his feet, Chef slammed a cage onto the tabletop and made it shake._

" _Care to explain this?" Chef growled._

 _Creek realized this was the cage that held his friends. Except now, it was completely empty. Creek was first surprised, then thankful that his friends escaped. Then, he burst out laughing. "They got away! You let them get away!" He held his stomach from laughing so hard at Chef's misfortune._

 _Of course, that stopped rather abruptly when Chef backhanded him and sent the troll flying. Creek slammed into the wall and hit the ground. When he recovered, he cowered under Chef's furious glare._

" _Is this your doing?" Chef demanded. "Did you do this?"_

" _I-I've been with the k-king!" Creek protested._

" _Then how did they escape?!" Chef screeched._

 _Creek's mind raced, and he suddenly lit up happily. "Poppy! She must've come for them!"_

" _Poppy…the princess?" Chef gawked._

" _Yes!" Creek cheered. "She got them out! She outsmarted you! I knew she would! No troll left behind!" Creek smiled smugly at Chef. "You should've known that she would come. Poppy would never leave a troll behind."_

 _Chef looked furious at first. Then she paused, and she grinned cruelly. "So that means she won't leave_ you _behind either, hmm?"_

 _Too late, Creek realized his mistake. "Oops."_

" _The princess will come looking for you." Chef mused. "And when I capture her, she will lead me to the trolls."_

" _No!" Creek called desperately. "Leave Poppy alone! Besides, she would've hidden the trolls before she left. You won't find them!"_

" _Maybe not." Chef agreed. "But perhaps they_ would _come out for someone they knew. Someone they trusted."_

" _Poppy would never help you." Creek declared._

" _Yes, I suppose she won't." Chef agreed. "But you will."_

" _Or what?" Creek scoffed._

 _Chef pulled out one of her knives and thrust the blade to Creek's throat. He immediately went rigid. Chef still grinned darkly. "Or I'll kill her, and then I'll kill you. So what will it be, little troll? Help me get the trolls? Or watch your little girlfriend die?"_

 _Creek swallowed. "I…..I mean…..I want to talk to Poppy…and then…..yes…..I'll help you lure out the trolls…"_

 _Chef pulled the knife back. "How do you propose to do that?"_

" _The trolls trust me." Creek assured. "All I have to do is call. Or maybe I can get Poppy's cowbell and start ringing it."_

" _Very good." Chef patted Creek's head mockingly. She scooped him up and plopped him down in her fanny pack._

 _Creek struggled to control his breathing. If he wasn't in trouble before, he sure was now. He was only trying to protect Poppy; and now, he may have just put her in even more danger. How would he get himself out of this one?_

Okay, calm down, Creek. _The yogi told himself._ For any of this to work, Chef has to capture Poppy first. And she never will. Poppy is too smart for Chef. In fact, Poppy will probably slip right under Chef's nose, rescue me, and then we can all go home. Yes! That's what will happen. I just have to remain calm until then.

* * *

 _This really wasn't Creek's day._

 _First, Chef actually managed to catch Poppy and the Snack Pack. And Branch, because he came along for some strange reason. Then Creek had to put on this act of selling out his best and truest friends to save his skin. That took so much out of him emotionally. Truthfully, he didn't want to be eaten. He also didn't want to sell out his village. That look on Poppy's face nearly killed him._

 _Plus, Branch tried to strangle him to death. That wasn't fun._

 _Now, he rode in Chef's fanny pack (again) on the way to the village. Creek wracked his brain, fingering the hammer of Poppy's cowbell nervously. What would he do? He was on his way to the troll village, about to ring that cowbell and call everyone out so they could be captured and eaten. He had to do something, or everyone would die! What would he do at this point? Run away all crazy-like? Scamper off to hide in the forest and pray Chef and the other Bergens didn't find him? Maybe he'll scream on the way._

 _Actually, that didn't sound like a bad idea._

The second she lets you down, run. _Creek told himself, gripping the cowbell tightly._ Run fast, run far, and don't look back.

 _They stopped. Chef pulled Creek from her fanny pack and plopped him down on a mushroom._

 _Creek froze._

" _Well, go on." Chef said impatiently._

 _Creek looked up at the Bergen cooks who towered over him. Why wouldn't his feet move?_

" _Now!" Chef screeched._

 _Creek jumped. His hand shook a little, and then his arms moved against his will. He started banging on the cowbell rhythmically._ Don't come out. _He pleaded._ Don't come out. Stay where you are. Don't you see it's a trap?

 _No…they came running and cheering for their princess. Creek's heart sank as the entire village appeared before him, all excited and looking forward to seeing the triumphant return of their princess._

" _Creek?" Peppy murmured, staring at the purple troll in confusion._

* * *

Creek woke up in tears. He remained completely silent as the cool streams trickled forth from his eyes. Why did he do that? Why did he never go through with his escape plans? Why did he betray his kind? Did Chef force him to do it using one of her wishing stars she received from Blackwood? Or was he just a slave to his cowardice?

Then, Creek became incensed. He sat up in his bed, ran his fingers through his hair, and grabbed a teacup from his nightstand. He poured himself some tea from the pot Cybil left him, but even the warm drink didn't soothe him. Creek angrily threw the cup across the room, where it hit his dresser and shattered on impact.

"I didn't mean it." Creek murmured. He stared at his grey hands. He thought he saw his colors coming back. Right now, he looked greyer than ever. "Give me the chance, and I will show you I didn't mean it." More than anything, he wanted to tell Poppy this. But how to show his regret? How would he show it to her and to the entire village? What would he do to show everyone how sorry he was? He was a new troll now. He wanted to take his action of drinking that youth potion and use it as a reset button. He would always go back to that moment when he made a mistake, but he was sorry for what happened. Now how to show it?

Creek lit up. "I got it!"

* * *

Everyone had a blast at parties thrown by Poppy. The bash she organized this time was arguably one of the best. A large banner hung between two trees read "Welcome Home Rosiepuff and Creek!" There was plenty of music and lots of dancing and copious amounts of food. King Gristle, Queen Bridget, and Prince Randy came by as well, along with some Bergens who liked to stay up late. A group of trolls set up a dance floor and eating area for the Bergens just next to the Grove.

Satin and Chenille insisted on making party wear for the guests of honor. For Rosiepuff, they made a sparkly white dress with a glittery purple shawl that complemented her skin tone nicely. The skirt of the dress had dustings of green glitter to match her hair. For Creek, the twins made a pair of navy blue dress pants and a button-up vest to match. The indigo color returned to his irises at last, so his outfit matched his eyes perfectly. As always, Creek kept the Phoenix Tear Crystal around his neck.

Branch fussed and fretted over his grandmother for most of the evening, never really leaving her side. He was afraid that she was too tired to dance or talk, that she wasn't getting enough to eat, or that she might not be having enough fun. Rosiepuff just laughed and reassured him. Branch finally left her side when Peppy invited her to dance.

Poppy took Rosiepuff's place and rested her head on Branch's shoulder. "You're cute when you worry."

"Oh shut up." Branch wrapped an arm around Poppy's waist and pulled her close.

Poppy kissed his cheek. "You don't need to worry about anything, Branch. Look at her. She's having so much fun. She's _home_."

Branch smiled. "Yeah. Finally." He gave Poppy a side-hug. "My family's whole again, and that makes me happier than you can imagine."

"Happier than marrying me?" Poppy teased.

"Really?" Branch complained playfully. "You're going to make me pick between marrying you and being reunited with my grandmother?"

Poppy laughed. "Even Creek seems to be having fun. He's hanging out with the other trolls, even the teenagers."

Branch's smile faltered. He shrugged. "Yeah. Sure."

As the song finished, the trolls clapped and cheered while Suki approached the center of the mushroom stage set up at the base of the Troll Tree. "You guys are a great audience, as usual!" Suki called, causing another round of cheers. Once the trolls calmed down, Suki spoke again. "Now, we'd like to slow things down a bit, and we're also going to take a minute to get a little real. One of our guests would like to sing a special song not just for our lovely Queen Poppy, but for the entire Troll Village. Creek? Take the stage, buddy."

The trolls murmured to each other curiously as the teenaged grey troll walked onstage. He cleared his throat, shifting from one foot to the other nervously. "Um, hello, everyone." He cleared his throat again. He saw several trolls giving him looks of pity. They could see how nervous he was. Creek exhaled slowly. "This is just a song I worked on for a couple days. I wish I could've worked on it longer. But I guess it'll do. It's a song that…well, it explains…..uh….." He chuckled anxiously. "I think I'll just start it, and you can glean from it what you'd like." He went back to the musicians, and one of them handed him a guitar. The musician trolls were all aware of the plan Creek concocted, and they were all for it. Creek pulled up a mushroom stool and sat down, tuning the guitar. He looked back to the musicians, who signaled they were ready.

 _Please let this work._ Creek strummed his guitar, and the musicians accompanied his tune. He began to sang of his regret for his actions, and acknowledgement that he did something so wrong. Creek kept his voice steady, even when his emotions wanted to run wild. He had always been good at hiding how he was truly feeling. Now, he had to release just enough emotion to show his sincerity without risking him breaking down in tears.

Glancing out to the audience, Creek saw his song causing emotion. The trolls were listening to him, understanding his song. Poppy's attention stayed fully on him, and it made Creek braver. This song was perfect, in Creek's eyes. But he knew he was taking a bit of a risk by admitting his love for Poppy after she was married, especially since she was married to Branch, who looked ready to throttle Creek again.

When Creek looked up again, he saw Poppy had moved. Now she was right in front of the mushroom stage. Creek swallowed and hopped down to the ground. He slowly approached the queen of the trolls, and he finished the song while simultaneously hoping he didn't start crying.

The troll musicians let Creek finish off the song. When he did, everyone was silent. Creek leaned the guitar against the stalk of the mushroom and approached Poppy again.

"Poppy, what I did was _so_ wrong and words cannot accurately describe how sorry I am." Creek said. "At the time, I thought I was buying myself time to think of a plan. Figure out what I could do to save everyone. I tried to be a hero. But forming a perfect plan in your head is a thousand times easier than executing it. In the end, my fear was stronger than anything else. I let my fear control my every move. Every single day, I thought back to that moment, and I'm filled with regret. I was right about one thing: I will have to live with that memory for the rest of my life. But I don't want that to stop me from changing. I want to use that memory to push me to be a better person and show you that I'm not the same troll you remember." Creek left it at that. He didn't know what else to say, and he felt a lump in his throat.

Poppy smiled gently. She took Creek's hands in hers. "Creek, you _are_ the same troll I remember." Creek tensed up, and Poppy gave his hands a squeeze. "You are kind and wise and helpful to your fellow trolls. What you did _was_ wrong, but you've done so much to make up for it. You protected Rosiepuff and you found a way to contact Rosie to save our family. And you even guarded them on the way home. Don't think I don't know that you fought off a tarantapuff to save Bliss."

"Thanks!" Bliss called from the crowd. Several trolls laughed.

Creek cracked a smile. "It was nothing."

"No, it was wonderful." Poppy assured. "I don't want you or anyone else to dwell on your mistake, because you've shown us that you're ready to move on. I forgive you, Creek. It's time to forgive yourself."

The emotion Creek felt almost overwhelmed him. "Really?"

Poppy pulled him into a tight hug. "Welcome home, Creek."

Creek smiled, happy tears coming to his eyes, and he returned Poppy's embrace. The trolls applauded and cheered loudly. Only a handful of resentful trolls neglected to follow suit. Branch was one of them. He glared at Creek with his arms crossed. Yet even he couldn't stop his awe at what happened next.

"Creek!" Rosie clapped gleefully. "Look at your hands!"

The grey troll jumped back. Only he wasn't grey anymore. He watched with a mix of shock and joy as a light passed over his skin and hair, restoring original colors. His lavender skin looked brighter than ever, and his blue-teal hair lengthened out a bit more so the tips leaned backward. His glitter freckles sparkled like little stars on his cheeks, which began to hurt from him smiling so much. He laughed in his joy and disbelief, and he dropped all formality and hugged Poppy again. The trolls let out another round of cheering. When Poppy stepped back, several trolls came up to congratulate Creek and welcome him back. The music started up again, and the party resumed with even more gusto. Rosie grabbed Creek's wrist and pulled him into a dance.

Branch tried to stand and intervene, but he felt something scaly and heavy on his shoulder, and he was pushed back into his seat. He looked up and saw Symphony settling behind him. They both sat on the edge of the dance floor, in perfect view of Rosie forcing a sheepish Creek to dance with her. Branch frowned at Symphony, who nuzzled him lovingly. Branch rolled his eyes, but still patted the phoenix's beak affectionately.

 _Great. Even the bird is bossing me around._ Branch sighed. He wasn't sure how he felt about this. Yet again, the trolls proved themselves to be very trusting, almost too trusting.

Creek was a little nervous to be dancing with Rosie, but her smile made him more comfortable. He was certainly happy to have his colors back. When he caught sight of Rosiepuff smiling at him, he grinned back and allowed himself to relax. He only paused in his dancing when Cybil approached to hug him. After over a decade of loneliness and misery, this new feeling of happiness came as a welcomed relief. Finally, Creek felt like he could let go and move on with his life. A new, better life that would help him become a better person.

Rosie giggled as Creek spun her around and dipped her. "You're a fair dancer, Creek."

"As are you, milady." Creek laughed as he pulled Rosie up again and continued their dance. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Just don't give up on yourself." Rosie batted at his hair playfully. "Getting your colors back is just the beginning. Everything is going to be cupcakes and rainbows from now on."

Creek laughed and nodded in agreement. "You're very kind, Rosie."

Rosie hugged him, still smiling broadly. But she noticed something change in Creek's eyes. His smile dropped and his eyebrows crept towards each other. He looked troubled. Rosie stared at him in concern. "Creek?"

Creek sensed something. There was a new energy here. A dark one, but also familiar. He looked skyward, and he paled. "Excuse me!" He darted off into the crowd of trolls. Rosie trailed after him in confusion. Creek pushed through the trolls as politely as he could while he searched. He finally found the troll he wanted.

"Hello Creek!" Peppy greeted as he danced with Rosiepuff. "That was a lovely song."

"Thank you but there's no time for that!" Creek grabbed Rosiepuff's wrist and started pulling on her. "We have to hide. Now!"

"Ow!" Rosiepuff dug her heels into the ground to stop him from dragging her off. "Creek, that hurts! What's wrong?"

"Look up." Creek warned. Rosiepuff obeyed, as did Peppy and Rosie. Rosiepuff's face lost all its color.

"Hey!" Branch suddenly appeared and caught Creek's other arm in a vice-like grip. "What's going on?"

"We have to hide!" Creek urged.

"Why?" Branch demanded. He noticed the terrified look on his grandmother's face. "Grandma? What's up?"

Rosiepuff didn't seem to hear him, staring at the sky like something would come down and snap her up. "No…..no, please…."

"What is going on?" Branch emphasized every word. When he looked up, his expression also changed to one of confusion and some fear.

Up in the clear, starry skies, a shadowy cloud swirled above the Troll Tree.

"It's Blackwood." Creek said. "He's coming!"

* * *

 **A/N: Ah, the moment you all were waiting for, in the form of a vicious cliffhanger. Muahahahahaha!**


	14. Blackwood's Threat

**A/N: Okay, you've been tortured long enough. While I love to torture with cliffhangers, there comes a point where it's just cruel.**

 **Tomboyfriend – I'm afraid I can't answer your question about the dream thing because it will be answered later in the story. Stay tuned!**

 **NerdAlert8910 – A cyber high-five to you for making me laugh with your review. :D**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Your review also made me laugh. :D**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen – Blackwood's Threat**

Up in the clear, starry skies, a shadowy cloud swirled above the Troll Tree.

"It's Blackwood." Creek said. "He's coming!"

"Go!" Rosie hissed. "Both of you! Hide!"

This time, Rosiepuff went with Creek willingly, and the two of them hurried off to find someplace to hide. Creek pulled her under the mushroom stage where the musicians played, and they ducked behind a few mossy rocks. Creek stretched out his hair and changed its color to camouflage them. Rosiepuff trembled, and Creek gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

 _I won't let her get taken._ Creek promised. _Never again._

By then, the party began to quiet down as the trolls and Bergens realized something that felt sinister came towards them. Gristle ordered a couple Bergen guards to stand near his wife and infant child, and he came as close to the trolls' dance floor as he could without stepping on someone.

"Poppy?" Gristle called. "What's going on?"

"I don't know." Poppy admitted. "All right, everyone! Just stay calm!"

Suddenly, the cloud shot down like an arrow. The trolls scrambled out of the way as the cloud crashed down right in the middle of the party. Part of the cloud rolled across the floor like a fog. Sparklers and little fireworks shot out of the cloud and spun around in the air like fireflies made out of sparks. A column of black cloud swirled in the center of it all. The trolls stared with confusion, some of them mildly impressed. Music inexplicably blared from an unseen source.

When the music ended, the cloud, fog, and fireworks promptly evaporated and a grey troll stood in the center of the dance floor, familiar only to Rosie, Bliss, and Cooper.

"Blackwood." Rosie breathed.

"Hello, everyone!" Blackwood greeted with an elaborate, elegant bow. He didn't seem fazed by the lack of applause. "Please, do not be alarmed! I come in peace."

"And with all the works, apparently." Poppy whispered to Branch, who nodded in agreement.

Blackwood looked around. "Well look at this! What a party! Very typical for the trolls, of course. But to be partying peacefully with Bergens? Now I've seen everything." He paused. "Wait, wait. Is this the Troll Tree? I thought you all ditched this place years ago! Never thought I'd live to see the day you would return and live with the Bergens. How interesting." He scanned the crowd. "Now, if this is the Troll Tree, then that means you're led by King Peppy, right? Where is he? Where's the king?"

Rosie immediately felt apprehensive about Blackwood finding her grandfather. She couldn't stop him from wordlessly stepping forward, though. She did find Peppy's glare very unlike him.

Blackwood stared at Peppy, blinking a few times. "Peppy? Is that you? Wow! You're _really_ old!"

Peppy still glared, now with irritation added to his mix of anger and agitation.

"Still the king of the trolls?" Blackwood's eyes settled on Branch and Poppy. "Oh, I guess not. You've passed on the crown! How lovely. And what are your names, Your Majesties?"

"Queen Poppy, and King Branch." Poppy answered in an even tone.

Blackwood bowed so low his nose nearly brushed the ground. "How very good to meet you." When he looked up, he did a double-take and stared at Rosie. "Why, little Rosie! What a surprise! You didn't tell me you were from the Troll Tree."

Rosie swallowed. "It didn't seem like important information." She felt safer when Peppy pulled her closer to him.

"Really?" Blackwood mused. "It didn't seem important to tell me you lived in the Troll Tree when I asked you where you were from?"

Rosie looked down. "No." She cleared her throat. "Um, Mr. Blackwood, sir? What are you doing here?"

"Ah, yes!" Blackwood straightened up. "Thank you for reminding me. I am in need of your assistance, fellow trolls! I'm searching for some missing prisoners of mine. I see you've found one of them." He nodded to Symphony, perched behind the royal family. The phoenix hissed at Blackwood.

"Symphony belongs to me, Blackwood." Branch said.

"Oh, I don't care if you keep her." Blackwood waved a hand dismissively. "I never liked her anyway. But I must find the two trolls who belong to me. Perhaps you've seen them." He raised a hand, palm up, and colored lights appeared to take two different forms: one that looked like Rosiepuff, and another that looked like Creek when he was grey. "Have you seen these two trolls? They aren't hard to miss."

None of the trolls answered, most of them looking uncomfortable. Creek looked to Rosiepuff, who sat on the ground and leaned against a rock for support. She appeared terrified. Creek glared at Blackwood and slowly retracted his hair, letting it return to its normal color. Thankfully, they were still hidden by the rocks.

Rosiepuff saw Creek trying to leave, and she grabbed his wrist. 'What are you doing?' She mouthed.

Creek put a finger to his lips and slowly pried Rosiepuff's fingers off his wrist. He slipped away from her and snuck around the edge of the dance floor, hidden by the other trolls.

"Well?" Blackwood asked, his tone laced with impatience.

"We have no grey trolls in this village." Peppy said. "And the other shadow looks like Princess Rosie. So I think it's safe to say your 'prisoners' are not here."

"Oh, but I think they are." Blackwood said. The colored lights disappeared. "See, I scoured the forest looking for these trolls, and I stumbled upon the village where I thought you all might be after escaping the Troll Tree. The place was deserted. Naturally, I didn't think to come here at first. Perhaps my prisoners didn't think to come here at first either. But I know they would seek out their kind for protection." Blackwood stared at Peppy with a rather unsettling gaze. "And I know you would not refuse them, my king." He spoke those last two words almost mockingly.

Peppy's glare did not waver. "The trolls you seek are not here, Blackwood. So, leave in peace."

"I'm not going anywhere until I find them." Blackwood spoke calmly still, but the threat lingered in the air.

Suddenly, a knife flew from the crowd and headed straight for Blackwood. The grey troll merely raised a hand, and the knife skidded to a halt mid-flight. With a simple flick, Blackwood sent the knife shooting back into the crowd and hit one particular troll. The other trolls jumped when Creek let out an agonizing scream, and he collapsed to the ground. The knife he had thrown lay embedded in his leg, a bit above his knee.

"There's one of them. Although, I almost didn't recognize him with the colors." Blackwood mused. Creek ground his teeth together, wrenching the knife from his thigh and pressing his hands over the wound. Blood soaked through his fingers and pants. He glared at Blackwood hatefully. The sorcerer tapped his foot and crossed his arms. "Creek, where is she?"

"Go to hell." Creek growled through his gritted teeth.

Blackwood clicked his tongue in a _tsk-tsk_ way. "Must you always make this difficult? Do you think I _won't_ hurt you if you defy me?" As if to prove his point, Blackwood raised his hand and telekinetically lifted several knives and forks from the food table. He launched them towards Creek, who curled in a ball and prepared for the sharp points of the utensils.

Instead, Cooper shot forward and grabbed Creek's vest in his teeth. He pulled Creek out of the way, and the projectiles pierced the ground. Cooper set Creek down and stood protectively in front of him. He frowned at Blackwood. "Leave him alone or I'll make you sorry."

"You and what army?" Blackwood scoffed.

"Army of us, jerk!" Suki snapped as the rest of the Snack Pack came to stand around Creek.

"You would protect a traitor to your kind?" Blackwood asked, genuinely confused.

"We protect our friend." Smidge corrected. "Now back off!"

Blackwood pinched the bridge of his nose. "Foolish trolls. But fine. If you want to die with him, so be it." Sparks like lightning appeared in Blackwood's hand, and he prepared to throw it. The Snack Pack stayed firm, despite their fear, and did not move from their protective stance around Creek. He struggled to stand, to protect them. But, to his horror, someone else moved first.

"Blackwood, stop!" Rosiepuff shouted, jumping from her hiding spot and pushing through the trolls who tried to stop her.

Blackwood stilled, the lightning disappearing from his hand. He smiled at Rosiepuff in a rather cruel manner. "There you are. I must admit I am rather impressed, Rosiepuff. This is the farthest you've ever gotten, and the longest you've ever stayed away. Did you have fun?"

Rosiepuff put on a brave face, ignoring her racing heart. "You're not welcome here."

"And you don't belong here." Blackwood said. "You're coming back with me now."

"Not even if my life depended on it." Rosiepuff growled.

"It's not a matter of life or death. It's not even a request." Blackwood stepped closer to her. "I will _drag_ you back if I have to!"

This time, Branch jumped forward. He pushed his grandmother behind him. "Don't touch her."

Blackwood paused. "Am I to assume you're the grandson?"

"Yes, and I'm not letting you take her away again." Branch assured. Poppy, Rosie, and Peppy joined Branch to protect Rosiepuff, and Symphony's feathers bristled in her hostility.

"You're really going to protect her?" Blackwood scoffed. "A selfish troll like her?"

"You're one to talk about selfishness." Creek snarled. He finally managed to stand on his good leg, leaning on Cooper for support.

"Like you have room to retort." Blackwood waved him off. "Now, King Branch, listen to reason. Rosiepuff abandoned you. She left you alone when you were only a little boy. She came back, yes, but for what other purpose than to hurt you again? She knows she'll have to come back with me, which will only break your heart, yes? If she wanted to see you again, she only needed to ask."

Rosiepuff might've run forward to punch Blackwood if Rosie and Peppy didn't hold her back. She seethed with anger. "You're a lying little piece of—"

"Ah, watch your language." Blackwood said teasingly.

"Bite me." Rosiepuff growled.

"I think it's time we took our leave." Blackwood snapped his fingers. Trails of smoke, like snakes, appeared and slithered towards Rosiepuff. Rosie hugged her great-grandmother, both out of fear and to protect her.

 _SPLAT!_

The smoke disappeared, and several trolls laughed out loud. Blackwood grimaced as he wiped cupcake crumbs and frosting off his face. He turned and glared in the direction the cupcake came from.

A troll child stood on the food table, armed with another cupcake. "You leave King Branch's grandma alone!"

"You got a death wish, kid?" Blackwood scoffed.

Several other trolls, of a variety of ages, stepped forward and armed themselves with the food and cutlery on the table. "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!" Aspen declared.

"So you better leave before you get yourself into even more trouble!" Maddy chimed in.

"Oh really?" Blackwood growled.

"Yeah! Really!" Gristle snapped. Several Bergen guards aimed their spears for Blackwood.

"Don't kid yourself." With a flick of Blackwood's wrist, the spears flew from the Bergen guards' hands and impaled the buildings behind them.

"Fire!" the troll child on the table shouted. The trolls let their ammunition fly, and Blackwood suddenly found himself bombarded by cupcakes, cups of punch, cutlery and dishware, mini sandwiches, berries, and even a rock or two.

"Hey!" Blackwood shouted between yelps of pain and annoyance. "Watch it, you little hoodlums!"

"If you can't take it," Chenille taunted.

"Then get out of here!" Satin finished.

Blackwood growled when a cupcake hit him right in the eye. He glared at Rosiepuff. "Don't get too comfortable. I'll be back." He shifted his gaze to Creek. "And if you get in my way again, I really will kill you!" Blackwood grabbed the edge of his cloak and swirled it around him. His body became encased in a black cloud, which began to fly off.

"Guards!" Gristle shouted. "Fire at will! Shoot him down!"

"No!" Poppy's order stopped the guards from shooting their arrows. "Let him go. He's not worth it."

"His threat does not sound like one we should take lightly, Poppy." Branch warned.

"If he dares to come back, we'll stop him." Poppy smiled at her kingdom. "Isn't that right?" The trolls cheered loudly in response. Poppy turned to Rosiepuff. "You think you'd be okay with continuing the party?"

Rosiepuff forced a smile. "Of course. Why should we let something like Blackwood interrupt our good time?"

"Great!" Poppy chirped. "Creek, you should probably get that leg patched up."

"No problem." Creek took the Phoenix Tear Crystal and used it to heal his leg in less than a minute. He popped back up on his own two feet and clipped the crystal back around his neck.

"All right!" Poppy said excitedly. "Suki, kick up the music again!"

"With pleasure!" Suki jumped back on her Wooferbug and started the music, and the trolls resumed their partying. Gristle sent his wife and child home with a couple guards, but he and the rest of the Bergens joined in the celebration.

Rosie noticed her great-grandmother walking off. "Grandma? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Rosiepuff assured. "I'm just going to get some punch. If there's any left." Rosie nodded slowly in understanding, and she accepted Bliss's and Moxie's invitation to dance. Still, Rosie appreciated it when her father trailed after Rosiepuff.

Branch followed his grandmother away from the party and to a quiet spot behind the Troll Tree. Rosiepuff leaned against the tree, shut her eyes, and breathed deeply. Her hands still shook.

"Grandma?" Branch piped up as he approached, not wanting to scare her. Rosiepuff's breathing evened out as Branch came closer. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

"Branch, I'm not afraid of very many things." Rosiepuff said. "But the thought of Blackwood returning always terrified me." She opened her eyes and stared at him. "I'm not leaving you again. I can't."

"And you won't." Branch assured, pulling her into a comforting hug. "I'm not going to let that happen. I promise."

Rosiepuff gently pulled away from Branch and stared at him with seriousness in her eyes. "I want you to promise me that you won't go running after Blackwood. He's very dangerous. You've seen just a glimpse of his powers."

"Grandma, I won't go anywhere near Blackwood." Branch promised. "But if he comes near you, I'll turn him into Symphony's plaything."

Rosiepuff cracked a grin. "Thank you. Now come on, my angel. Let's get back to that party. Your wife worked really hard on it."

"Right, right." Branch nodded, smiling. He stared in the direction Blackwood left, and he managed to hide his anger.

 _If he ever comes near my grandmother again, I'll wring his neck._ Branch vowed.

* * *

Rosiepuff felt herself waking from another dream. Even when she kept her eyes shut, she felt conscious. _Finally._ She sighed. The darkness erased the horrible nightmare she experienced. But how did she know she wasn't about to have another nightmare?

Tentatively, Rosiepuff opened one eye. She was in her room, not in a cage. She opened her other eye and sat up. The bed felt real. Everything looked real. She opened the window and peered outside. Bright sunshine and singing trolls doing their morning song with Rosie in the lead.

Sighing in relief, Rosiepuff changed into her dress and coat and left her pod to start the day. That was her third nightmare in as many days. Blackwood's appearance startled her, despite her attempts to convince herself that she was fine. She wasn't, though. She feared Blackwood would return again and whisk her away to that awful cage.

 _Don't think about him._ Rosiepuff told herself. _Just think about something else._

"Good morning, Grandma!"

Rosiepuff grinned when Rosie nearly tackled her in a hug. _That's better._ "Good morning, Rosie. I see you led the morning song."

"Yeah, but it would've been more fun if you were there." Rosie said.

"Guess I overslept." Rosiepuff bit back a yawn. She didn't really get much sleep at all last night.

"Well I was going to visit Prince Randy. Want to come?" Rosie invited.

"I don't think so." Rosiepuff said. "I think I just want to take a walk around the village."

"Okay." Rosie nodded.

"And don't go alone." Rosiepuff insisted. "Take one of your parents or some adult with you."

"Will it make you feel better if I do?" Rosie asked.

"Yes." Rosiepuff answered without hesitation.

"I'll have Dad come with me." Rosie said. She hugged her great-grandmother before skipping off. Rosie looked back once to see Rosiepuff slowly walking the other way. She didn't blame her great-grandmother for still being wary about the Bergens. But how long would it take before Rosiepuff let her guard down even just a little bit? Rosie just knew the Bergens could be Rosiepuff's best friends if she would learn to trust them. It could start with Randy. He was the cutest little Bergen baby, even on his bad sick days.

Rosiepuff watched Rosie leave. She hoped the teen would heed her advice and bring an adult. The last time she got so close to that baby, he looked ready to grab her. What if the Bergen baby had put Rosie in his mouth? What if he hurt her? Rosiepuff yawned a little, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes.

"Good morning, Rosiepuff." Creek greeted, coming up to walk beside her.

Rosiepuff smiled sleepily. "Good morning."

"You seem tired." Creek noted. "Your aura is flickering and weak, like a candle. Normally, you have quite the strong and powerful aura."

"I'll take that as a compliment, albeit a strange one." Rosiepuff said. "But look at you. Your colors haven't dulled in the least. You look better than you have in years."

Creek blushed. "Thanks. I feel better than I have in years." He still did double-takes when he looked in the mirror. Though his scars still showed, he was thankful to have his happiness and his colors back. He noticed the faint, dark circles under Rosiepuff's eyes. "You had another nightmare."

Rosiepuff rubbed her eyes again. "Yes. But it's fine."

"I know this is rather frightening." Creek said. "But you saw how the other trolls reacted. You're in good hands."

"Thank you, Creek. But I don't want to talk about it." Rosiepuff turned and walked hurriedly in another direction, leaving Creek in the dust.

Creek stared after her, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. While he took comfort in the fact that the entire troll village would be ready to fight, Blackwood's power was just too strong. They would need more than cupcakes and fruit punch to stop him the next time he came. Because no matter how much hope they had, Creek knew Blackwood would return. It was only a matter of time before he came back, and they had to be ready. Creek felt like he needed to do something. He didn't have very many talents that would work here. He could do yoga and meditate and read auras. So at least he could pick up when Blackwood would be on his way. He had the Phoenix Tear Crystal, which could heal any wound caused by a spell.

Wait a minute. He knew how to fight! Of course! Creek taught himself how to fight by using the broom from his closet room. Maybe he could improve those skills. Suddenly excited with his new idea, Creek hurried off to Peppy's pod. He ended up knocking so hard that Peppy rushed to the door with a panicked look on his face.

"What happened?" Peppy asked. "What's the emergency?"

"Oh, no emergency!" Creek assured sheepishly. "I just really needed to talk to you."

Peppy sighed in relief. "I'm too old for heart attacks like that, Creek."

"Sorry." Creek said. "But I have an odd question: do you know anything about making weapons?"

Peppy looked around, and then ushered Creek inside. "I imagine you wouldn't be asking Branch about this for obvious reasons."

"Yes, but I still need to know." Creek said.

"You want to arm yourself for when Blackwood returns." Peppy guessed. He went to the bookshelf near his easy chair and pulled on one of the books on a higher shelf. With a _click,_ the bookshelf swung open like a door and revealed a hidden cavity in the wall. Racks of weapons hung in the space: swords, spears, shields, even a few bows and lots of arrows.

"Whoa." Creek said.

"Branch isn't the only one who prepares for attacks." Peppy chuckled. "I made these myself when we escaped the Troll Tree. Only needed them once or twice, and didn't think I would need them again when we returned here. With Blackwood's threat hanging over us, we may need these." He gestured to the mini-armory. "Take your pick. No need to make more. I really have too much anyway."

"Really?" Creek asked. "You sure?"

"Go on." Peppy encouraged. "You want to fight back against Blackwood and protect Rosiepuff and the other trolls. You know how to fight. Time to properly arm yourself."

Creek scanned the wall of weaponry. He soon decided on a staff, a dagger, and a bow. He filled a quiver with arrows. "These will be perfect."

"Good." Peppy nodded in satisfaction, pushing the bookcase door shut. "Practice with those. We all need to be ready for Blackwood in case he returns."

Creek slung the quiver of arrows over his back. "King Peppy, have you ever met Blackwood before? Do you know him?"

Peppy stared at the ground. "I know his type."

"I just didn't know there were other troll kingdoms except us." Creek said. "We've never met any other kingdoms."

"There aren't any other tribes of rainbow trolls." Peppy said. "Except possibly the handful of them who managed to escape the Troll Tree before the Bergens could capture it. Who knows what happened to them? There are other subspecies of trolls, though."

Creek nodded slowly. "I don't like him. He's not like any troll I've ever met, and not just because he's a sorcerer. How does someone come across that kind of magic?"

"Either born with it or it's given to you." Peppy said. "But just because he has magic doesn't mean he can't be fought."

"You can say that again." Creek said with determination. "I'm going to practice. Thank you, King Peppy."

"Good luck, Creek." Peppy said.

* * *

 _It didn't take long for Rosiepuff to determine when she was about to have a nightmare. She saw only darkness at first. When light finally came into the room, Rosiepuff saw she stood on a branch in the Troll Tree. She then noticed the clothesline in front of her, and the damp dress in her hands. It took only seconds to realize where she stood. She spun around when she heard a child singing, and she saw the child version of her grandson farther out on the tree limb. This was a familiar nightmare. She dreamt this while in the cage at Blackwood's home. In this dream, she would go to rescue Branch from Chef, but fail. Branch would be taken._

 _Rosiepuff didn't even want to run towards Branch this time. She knew her dream would force her to fail. So she just listened to him sing and savored every moment until the shadow would arrive._

 _Soon, the shadow did arrive. Except it didn't look like the shadow of Chef. This looked like a cloud, blacker than any storm cloud Rosiepuff ever saw before. Horrified, Rosiepuff realized it wasn't Chef coming after Branch, but Blackwood._

" _No!" Rosiepuff screamed, running towards her oblivious grandson. "Leave him alone!"_

 _Little Branch finally noticed the cloud swirling around him. He shook with fear._

" _Branch!" Rosiepuff shouted._

" _Rosiepuff, stop!"_

 _Rosiepuff suddenly jerked to a halt when someone grabbed her wrist, and the "someone" spun her around to reveal Creek. "It's just a dream." Creek said. "Wake up."_

 _Rosiepuff could hear Branch screaming in terror behind her, but Creek wouldn't let her turn around._

" _Wake up, Rosiepuff! Wake up!"_

* * *

With a gasp, Rosiepuff bolted upright and woke from her dream. She panted softly, staring at nothing while trying to calm her racing heart.

"Hey!"

Rosiepuff nearly screamed, and she spun around to see Creek at her window. "For hair's sake, don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry." Creek said. "I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"What were you doing in my dream?" Rosiepuff demanded as she approached the window.

"I can dream-speak, remember?" Creek reminded her. "I was meditating and I sensed you were in distress. Dream-speak was the only way I could get to you."

"They're just nightmares." Rosiepuff sighed.

"You're not sleeping well." Creek pointed out. "What if these aren't just normal nightmares? What if this is Blackwood's way of weakening you before he takes you away again?"

Rosiepuff hadn't thought of that. Then again, her exhaustion began to catch up with her, and she realized she hadn't been able to think very clearly about a lot of things lately. "Creek, I appreciate your concern, and thank you for pulling me out of that nightmare, but don't ever go into my head like that again."

"Keep pushing people away like that, and you'll end up like your grandson when he was grey." Creek warned. "It's okay to have some backup, especially with someone like Blackwood stalking us."

Rosiepuff yawned. "I know I shouldn't be pushing you or your help away. I really do appreciate what you do to help out."

Creek analyzed Rosiepuff's aura for a moment. "You raised Branch alone, didn't you?"

"Well, I had my husband for a few years." Rosiepuff corrected. "Branch's mother died during childbirth, and his father was taken the following Trollstice. Oaken was taken when Branch was four. Five years may not seem like a long time, but those were some of the most important years of my life. I swore I would never let anything happen to Branch, and now he might be in danger because Blackwood is coming after me."

"That is exactly what Blackwood wants you to think." Creek said. "He's a manipulative little scumbag."

Rosiepuff sighed. "What are you doing out here, anyway?"

"Like I said, meditating." Creek showed Rosiepuff his staff. "And I'm prepared to fight, if necessary."

"Impressive." Rosiepuff mused.

"I'm not going to run off and challenge Blackwood." Creek assured. "But if he ever comes back, I'll be there to protect you."

"You and every other troll in my family, blood, surrogate or otherwise." Rosiepuff grinned. "You should get some sleep, though."

"You too." Creek said. "Sweet dreams."

"I certainly hope so." Rosiepuff said with a shrug.

Creek smiled in reassurance, and he jogged off. He stretched out his hair and pulled himself higher and higher until he could pop his head out of the top foliage of the tree. He turned his head like a periscope, twisting his body so he could see all around.

"Try and come back, Blackwood." Creek challenged. "I dare you."

* * *

 **A/N: Be honest, what is your guys' opinion of Blackwood? Is he effective as a villain?**


	15. Grandma-Grandson Bonding

**A/N: Happy Labor Day everybody! I went on a writing spree this weekend because I'm stressed about life right now, so here's a new chapter!**

 **Jpbake – Yeah, I'm not really a fan of true cussing, so I'll be leaving it out for now. But it's kind of funny for someone to be interrupted in the middle of a cussing out.**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – I agree. Those banana peels from Mario Kart are evil.**

 **By the way, thanks for the feedback on Blackwood!**

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen – Grandma-Grandson Bonding**

 _Another Trollstice, another day of fear for the trolls._

" _I don't like leaving you alone." Oaken sighed as he strapped on his wooden breastplate. He anxiously ran his fingers through his grey-streaked blue hair._

" _I'm not alone." Rosiepuff reminded him. She handed her husband his sword. "I have our son and grandson. We'll be fine. You have to protect the royal family."_

 _Oaken buckled his sword around his hips. "I should be here, protecting you."_

" _You're a royal guard, and you have to protect the royal family." Rosiepuff reminded him._

" _I'm also a husband and a father and a grandfather, and I have to protect my family." Oaken argued._

 _Rosiepuff kissed his cheek. "You don't usually fight like this. You argue, but never this fiercely."_

 _Oaken looked troubled. "Something feels different this Trollstice. I feel like something terrible is going to happen. More terrible than normal."_

" _All the more reason you should be protecting Peppy and Joy." Rosiepuff insisted. "They've been trying to secure a child for years, without success so far. They need a chance to give us a prince or princess, to continue their legacy. Their strength is our strength."_

" _And your strength is mine." Oaken said with a smile. He hugged his wife and kissed her. They savored this moment, just in case it would be the last one. Then, Oaken was off to the royal pod to ensure the royal family wouldn't be taken for Trollstice. Just because Peppy made a deal with King Gristle that no royal troll would be taken doesn't mean the Bergens will obey._

 _Rosiepuff shut and locked the door to her son's pod home. Her son, Larch, had royal blue hair, light green skin, and emerald green eyes. He dressed in dark brown pants, like his father. At the moment, he paced worriedly across the floor._

" _You keep doing that, you'll put a rut in the floor." Rosiepuff said._

" _You know I always get this way during Trollstice." Larch huffed. "I'm just anxious. Dad's right. Something feels different."_

" _We're going to prepare ourselves regardless of what happens." Rosiepuff assured. She and Larch tensed up when they heard the metal door of the cage creaking open. "Hide! Quick!" She and Larch hurried to the closet and shut the door after them. They sat on the floor of the closet, bracing themselves for what would happen next._

" _I hate this part." Larch whispered. "Waiting for them to…"_

" _You hid the baby, right?" Rosiepuff asked._

" _Yes, of course!" Larch said. Rosiepuff could barely see him nod in the darkness. "The baby is safe."_

" _Then we just do what we do every year." Rosiepuff said. "We stay low, and we stay quiet." It was a technique several troll families adopted for Trollstice. By staying still and quiet, hiding somewhere in their home, it decreased their odds of being taken. At least, that was the theory. It was still debatable whether or not it worked._

 _At last, the screams started. Chef and the other Bergen cooks started gathering the trolls to be cooked. Larch and Rosiepuff hunkered down amidst the clothing in the closet, praying the Bergens would pass over the pod. Larch shook with both anger and fear. Rosiepuff covered her ears. This was the worst day of the year for any troll. How many of her friends would be taken today? Or worse: how many children would be snatched?_

 _Suddenly, the pod jerked. Larch and Rosiepuff felt a sensation of the pod swinging._

" _What are you doing?" Chef's voice droned from outside._

" _We should check this pod!" another Bergen insisted. "I know I saw a troll in this one!"_

" _Fine, just hurry up!" Chef ordered. "We only need one more troll."_

 _The pod jerked again. The Bergen must be swatting at it. Then, the jerks came in rapid succession. The Bergen was pulling on the pod!_

" _Mom, the closet." Larch said suddenly._

" _What about it?" Rosiepuff asked. "And keep your voice down!"_

" _Check the closet!" Larch hissed._

" _I don't know what you mean!" Rosiepuff said. "What are you talking about?"_

 _SNAP!_

 _The vine holding the pod broke. The furniture outside toppled over and crashed into the walls._

 _Larch hugged his mother tightly. "I love you."_

 _Rosiepuff's eyes widened. "No. Larch, no!"_

 _Too late. Larch jumped out of the closet and slammed the doors shut after him. Rosiepuff tried to push the doors open, but Larch apparently used a broom to keep them shut. Rosiepuff banged her shoulder against the doors, desperate to get out._

" _Hey ugly!" Larch's voice sounded far away. "Over here!"_

" _No!" Rosiepuff screamed, pounding her fists on the closet doors. "Larch, you get back here right now!"_

 _Suddenly, Rosiepuff felt vertigo and then the impact of the pod falling from the Bergen's hand and hitting the ground. She slammed into the sides of the closet. Right when she got her bearings again, she felt the pod shoot upwards, implying that the Bergen kicked the troll house. Rosiepuff kept hitting the sides of the closet. It seemed the pod ricocheted off every branch on the Troll Tree. Finally, it stopped, and Rosiepuff pulled a coat off her head. She felt nauseous and dizzy. Thankfully, a troll known as Ninfea unblocked the closet doors and helped her out of the destroyed pod. When she got outside, Rosiepuff saw a large group of trolls linked their hair together in a large net, catching Larch's pod and stopping her wild ride. Once she stood on a solid tree limb, the trolls retracted their hair and let the pod fall to the ground._

" _Are you all right?" Ninfea asked._

" _I'm fine." Rosiepuff blinked a few times to stop her vision from spinning. "Where's Larch?" None of the trolls answered. Several of them looked down sadly. Rosiepuff turned to Larch's friend before her. "Where is my son, Ninfea?"_

 _The female troll wrung her fingers. "Rosiepuff.….."_

" _Where is my son?!" Rosiepuff demanded. She stared at Ninfea with desperation. "Where's my son?"_

" _I'm so sorry." Ninfea said, tears coming to her eyes._

 _Rosiepuff swayed a little. "No….no, no, please…."_

" _Rosiepuff!" Oaken bellowed, fear in his voice. He managed to catch her before she collapsed into sobs. It only took one look from Ninfea to confirm Oaken's worst fear. Oaken held his wife close and let her cry into his chest. King Peppy and Queen Joy shared their own embrace as they mourned. There were very few dry eyes in the tree._

" _I'm sorry." Peppy murmured. He didn't know what else to say to help._

 _Oaken gave his wife a gentle squeeze. "Rosiepuff, my love, where's the baby?"_

 _Rosiepuff inhaled shakily and wiped her eyes dry. "I don't know."_

" _You have to think." Oaken urged. "Larch wouldn't have left without telling us where he hid Branch. We have to find him. We're all he has."_

" _He didn't say anything." Rosiepuff said, tears threatening to spill again._

" _He must've said_ something. _" Oaken insisted. "Think. What did he say?"_

 _Rosiepuff closed her eyes and forced herself to think back to those last moments she had with her son. "The closet. He said, 'check the closet.' But I don't know what he meant."_

" _The baby wasn't in there with you?" Joy asked._

" _Larch took Branch and hid him somewhere, like he always does." Oaken said. "Never told us where."_

" _Should we just search all our closets?" a troll asked innocently._

" _Larch would've put the baby someplace he thought was safe." Oaken said._

 _Rosiepuff's eyes widened. "Safe…that's it!" She tore away from Oaken and sprinted off. Oaken, Peppy, and Joy followed close behind. Rosiepuff practically broke down the door to her and Oaken's pod home, and she raced to the closet in the bedroom. She flung the door open, and that's when she heard muffled crying. Rosiepuff franticly pushed the clothes aside, pulling several things off their hangers and tossing them aside. She found nothing on the walls, so she checked the clothes piled on the floor._

 _There!_

 _Underneath a pile of Oaken's jackets and Rosiepuff's dresses lay a basket. After peeling back a few layers of clothing, Rosiepuff saw a little blue baby troll squirming in distress and discomfort._

" _There you are." Rosiepuff breathed, relief almost overwhelming her. She shushed the fussy baby and gently pulled him from his confinements. When Branch felt someone lifting him up, he opened his eyes and saw his grandmother. He instantly stopped crying and snuggled nearer to her. Rosiepuff held him close, happy tears coming to her eyes._

" _He's been here." Oaken sighed heavily with relief. "He's been here the whole time."_

" _Thank goodness." Joy put a hand to her heart._

 _Peppy knelt beside Rosiepuff. "He's okay?"_

" _He's fine." Rosiepuff nodded. "He's safe and he's alive and he's here." She kissed Branch's head. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."_

" _I know you won't." Peppy assured._

" _He's in good hands." Oaken agreed, ruffling the baby's hair. Little Branch laughed, swatting playfully at his grandfather's hand. Everyone's Hug Time bracelets went off._

" _Hug Time?" Peppy offered, opening his arms towards Rosiepuff. She only laughed and nodded. Peppy, Oaken, and Joy all came together for a group hug, keeping Rosiepuff in the middle of it._

 _Rosiepuff cradled Branch close. "You're safe now. Nothing is going to happen to you."_

* * *

Rosiepuff didn't bolt upright this time. She slowly rolled up to sit up in her bed. She put her hands to her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. That had not been a bad dream, but a nightmarish memory. One of the worst days of her life, made better only by finding her infant grandson. Her son had been so smart to hide the baby. A bit of wonderful light in such a dark day.

Slowly, Rosiepuff slid out of her bed and made her way to the kitchen. When she glanced out the window, she saw it was still the middle of the night. She needed something to help her sleep or she would be grumpy in the morning. Rosiepuff glanced to Branch, who slept on her couch. Due to her continuous nightmares, Branch often spent his nights in his grandmother's home to keep an eye on her. He was so worried about her that he insisted on staying close. Rosiepuff tiptoed to the kitchen so Branch wouldn't hear her. She began looking around for the tea a troll named Ochya gifted her. Instead, she came across a bottle of a familiar drink. Rosiepuff tapped the glass bottle thoughtfully. Alcohol was never the answer, but maybe it would knock her out faster than tea. Even better, maybe it would knock her out so hard she wouldn't dream.

"Grandma?"

Rosiepuff jumped, almost dropping the bottle of alcohol. "Branch? I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"It's okay." Branch shrugged. "I've always been a light sleeper."

"You can say that again." Rosiepuff scoffed. "When you were a baby, I had to give you my coat to use as a blanket because you would start crying every time I put you in the crib. I had to trick you into thinking I was still there, or else you would hear me tiptoeing away."

Branch chuckled lightly. He noticed the bottle in Rosiepuff's hands. "What's that?"

"Oh, just something to wash the nightmares away." Rosiepuff shrugged.

Branch nodded slowly. "Pour me a cup too. I'll make us some tea."

"You don't have to do that." Rosiepuff said. "Go back to sleep."

"Nah, I'm awake anyway." Branch shrugged, pulling down the teapot.

Rosiepuff shook her head, but nonetheless took down two glasses instead of just one. Soon, the two trolls sat themselves on the couch with their drinks organized on the new coffee table Biggie made for the house. There were two glasses for the alcohol, the bottle of alcohol itself, a pitcher of water and two glasses for that, and a pot of tea with two teacups.

"To a restful sleep, heaven willing." Rosiepuff said, pouring herself a drink.

"What is that stuff?" Branch asked.

"Whiskey. It's called Dragon Fire." Rosiepuff said.

Branch frowned a little when Rosiepuff only filled his teacup-sized cup halfway. "What, you think I can't handle it?"

"It's whiskey made with cinnamon." Rosiepuff said. "Kind of strong."

"Please. I think I can handle it." Branch assured. To prove it, Branch downed the entire drink like it were a shot. Rosiepuff grinned knowingly, silently counting down. Right on cue, Branch's haughty smile snapped into a look of surprise, and he started coughing. Rosiepuff pushed a glass of water towards him, but he took the entire pitcher and gulped down half of the water inside.

Rosiepuff laughed. "Told you so." She sipped her whiskey almost daintily.

"How do you do that?" Branch coughed, his eyes still watering.

"Don't feel too bad." Rosiepuff shrugged. "Your grandfather couldn't handle it either. He preferred the smoother drinks."

"That's just wrong." Branch poured himself a cup of tea and swished the warm liquid around in his mouth. He sighed in relief. After a moment of silence, he asked, "So Grandad didn't like this stuff either?"

"He didn't drink much alcohol anyway." Rosiepuff said. "Unless it was a stressful day at work."

"He was a royal guard, right?" Branch asked.

"The only royal guard." Rosiepuff corrected. "Peppy and his father, King Wolfrick, recognized the need for scouts and fighters. The guard wasn't very large, but they worked when we needed them. The royal guard protected the royal family alone. After the Bergens captured the Troll Tree, Wolfrick dismissed the guard and kept only Oaken around to protect the family. Peppy approved of it. He and Oaken were very good friends."

Branch took another drink of his tea. "I remember Grandad. At least, a little bit. He used to tell me stories and sing to me. He tried to teach me how to fight when I was a toddler."

"You used to snatch his sword and stare at it for hours on end." Rosiepuff said. "You wanted to be just like him."

"Yeah…..and I guess I am a fighter…..just not exactly like him…." Branch sighed. "I wish he were here to see me."

Rosiepuff smiled gently. "He's always here, Branch. He watches over us. I know it."

Branch nodded. "Sometimes I feel it. I feel that he's near." He blinked a few times to keep his eyes clear. "How old was I when he…"

"You were four." Rosiepuff answered. She took another drink before continuing. "It was about a year, give or take, before I was taken. Your father was taken when you were a baby. You weren't even a year old yet. Your father died so I would live and raise you."

"I know there was nothing my mom could've done when she died, but why did Dad have to go?" Branch asked. "Why did he leave?"

"He loved you, Branch." Rosiepuff said. "He and your mother did everything they could to protect you, even when it meant they had to give up their own lives in the process." She could tell it hurt Branch to know this. She smiled again. "You know, you have your mother's colors. You have your father's hair, but you take more after your mother. You even have a voice like hers."

"Really? I don't recall being a soprano." Branch joked.

Rosiepuff rolled her eyes with a grin. "You sing like an angel, just like your mother. Her voice was enchanting, and so is yours."

Branch smiled. "Did I inherit anything from Grandad?"

"Well, you look just like him." Rosiepuff said. "You're also brave and strong and tough. You're willing to protect others and will fight when needed."

"How did you meet?" Branch asked.

"Oh, we were friends for a long time." Rosiepuff said. "Before he met me, I always saw him hanging out with Peppy and his brother."

Branch blinked in surprise. "Peppy has a brother?"

Rosiepuff's smile wavered. " _Had_ a brother. Malcolm. We lost him before your father was born."

"Oh." Branch had been excited to think Poppy had more family for him to meet. He should've known better. All of Poppy's family were Trollstice Trolls with the exception of her father.

Rosiepuff grinned again. "You should've seen those three. Peppy, Oaken, and Malcolm. A regular Three Musketeers if I ever saw it. They spent their entire childhoods together. Those royal boys used to give your grandfather so much grief when he started courting me."

"Did you two have a special song?" Branch asked.

"We were soulmates." Rosiepuff said. "Just like you and Poppy have your song, Oaken and I had a song that we always used to sing for each other."

"What was the song?" Branch asked.

"You want to hear it?" Rosiepuff asked. Branch nodded eagerly. Rosiepuff led him to the upright piano near the fireplace. Suki gave Rosiepuff the piano soon after she moved in. Branch pulled up a chair and sat down while Rosiepuff seated herself on the piano bench. Rosiepuff played a few notes. She waited for the pain to come. Instead, only happy memories surfaced in her psyche. Smiling, she began to play and started to sing. Her and Oaken's Soulmate Song was a slow, sweet melody about loving someone for as long as they live and beyond.

A wave of memories washed over Branch, and he took up the next verse. Soon, the song became a duet between the two of them. Branch could almost feel his grandfather there, giving him strength as he lent his voice.

Branch sighed in awe. "Wow. You used to sing that to me as a lullaby."

"Killed two birds with one stone: put you to sleep and helped me remember my husband in a positive way." Rosiepuff said.

Branch looked down. "I wish I had something more to remember my parents by. I was too young to really know them. I mean, I still have this." He reached into the collar of his nightshirt and pulled out his mother's necklace.

Rosiepuff smiled. "You kept it."

"Of course I did." Branch shrugged. "It's all I have."

Rosiepuff looked down in thought, and then lit up. "Maybe not. I can't believe I almost forgot!" She hurried off to her room before Branch could ask what she meant. Several minutes later, Rosiepuff returned with a vial of sparkling blue liquid and a paper yellowed from age.

"What's that?" Branch asked.

"Something your grandfather made a long time ago." Rosiepuff said. "Now, Branch, what I'm about to tell you is a little crazy, but you have to believe me. Your mother was no ordinary troll."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Branch asked. "What's that gunk?"

"This gunk is a potion your grandfather made by looking through your mother's spell books." Rosiepuff explained. "Your mother was a sorceress, and a powerful one at that. She passed her magic on to you. But, soon after you were born, your father gave you a potion that blocked your magic."

Branch's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why? Was he afraid?"

"Maybe." Rosiepuff nodded. "Maybe he thought your magic would only cause trouble. Or he didn't want to be reminded of your mother beyond your looks. Your father was not the same troll after your mother died. When Oaken found out, he swore you would get your powers back. They're a part of you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Branch asked. "I mean, was my mother anything like Blackwood?"

"Blackwood is a heartless lout who just happens to have magic. Your mother was kind and brave and used her magic to help others. I didn't tell you about your powers because I wanted to wait until you were older, when you would understand." Rosiepuff said. "I had intended to tell you when you were a teenager, but then…" She cleared her throat and handed the vial to Branch. "Drink it. You may be in for a shock, but just let it come."

Branch took the vial and uncorked it. He didn't know what to make of this new information, but he trusted his grandmother. So he pinched his nose and drank the potion in a single gulp. He grimaced in disgust at the taste. After a moment, Branch felt a tingling, and then a jolt like an electric shock.

"Whoa." Branch flexed his fingers and blinked a few times. "This feels really weird."

"That's just the blocked magic flowing once again. Give it a minute." Rosiepuff said. "Your grandfather left me this note before he died. Told me to give you your powers back when you were ready."

Branch inhaled and exhaled deeply a few times until the sensation passed. "What now?"

"Your grandfather also said this." Rosiepuff read off the note. "'When his powers come back, use this tester spell: _rysto hop_.'"

" _Rysto hop_?" Branch asked. Suddenly, a fireball formed in his palm and whizzed towards the floor, where it left a blackened mark. Branch jumped and nearly fell out of his chair. "Whoa!"

"Not bad." Rosiepuff mused.

"Okay, I'm glad Mom passed on her magic to me, but I don't want powers if I can't control them!" Branch said worriedly.

"Branch, calm down." Rosiepuff said. "I still have your mother's spell books that she saved. We'll start practicing. In fact, I know someone else we can talk to tomorrow."

"Really?" Branch asked. "Who?"

* * *

Branch regretted asking when Rosiepuff brought him to Cybil's home in the morning and requested to talk to Creek. Cybil ushered them inside, and they found Creek meditating on a yoga mat.

" _Namaste_ , friends." Creek greeted without opening his eyes.

"Really, Grandma?" Branch groaned.

Rosiepuff flicked his ear. "Creek, do you still have those spells and books you stole from Blackwood?"

"Yes, of course." Creek nodded.

"Would you mind if we borrowed them?" Rosiepuff asked. "Branch has some magic he needs to learn to control."

"So that's what I'm sensing in his aura." Creek mused.

"Yes, I felt it too." Cybil nodded. "I also felt it in your mother, Branch."

"Really?" Branch breathed.

"I'll go get those books." Creek said. He hurried off to his room.

"So my mom really did have magic. She was a sorceress." Branch said. "Where did she get those powers?"

"You get magic by being born with it or you are given it." Rosiepuff said. "Your mother was born with magic, as were you."

Creek returned with the backpack he brought from Blackwood's home. "Here. Keep it. You'll need it more than I will."

"Thank you, Creek." Rosiepuff said. "Branch, shall we start practicing?"

"Yes!" Branch said gleefully. He snatched the backpack of books and spells, and he started digging through them curiously as he left the pod.

"Thank you again." Rosiepuff said. "This is very helpful."

"My pleasure." Creek said.

"And Rosiepuff?" Cybil spoke up before Rosiepuff could leave. "If you ever need counsel on your dreams, I can be of assistance."

Rosiepuff glanced to Creek, who nodded to confirm her suspicions. He was the one who told Cybil about Rosiepuff's nightmares. Rosiepuff only nodded in thanks and left the pod. About two minutes later, Rosie knocked on the door and called for the occupants excitedly.

"Good morning, Princess." Cybil said when she answered the door.

"Good morning!" Rosie greeted warmly. "Can Creek come out and play with me and my friends?"

"I think he would love that." Cybil turned to her surrogate son. "Creek?"

"Well, sure." Creek shrugged. "Um, are your friends all right with it?"

"Of course!" Rosie grabbed his wrist and yanked him out of the pod. "Come on!"

Creek stared at his mother in a way that said, "Help me." But Cybil just waved and shut the door to the pod after her.

Rosie dragged Creek to the bottom of the tree, where they met with Bliss, Moxie, Glint, Harper, and Cooper. "Glad you could join us, Creek." Bliss said with a genuine smile.

"And here I thought you'd be busy." Glint said, his arms crossed. Based on his tone and facial expression (not to mention the antagonism in his aura), Creek could guess that Glint _hoped_ he would be busy.

"We're going out into the forest." Rosie said. "Let's go!"

"You sure that's safe?" Creek asked. Rosie didn't answer as she led everyone deeper into Troll Grove. Creek just shrugged and followed. The group of friends traveled through the grove, moving to the treetops to go from tree to tree until they reached the wall surrounding Bergen Town and Troll Grove. Using the branches, they could bounce themselves right over the wall and to the forest on the other side.

"Let's go to the lake!" Bliss urged.

"Yeah!" Moxie agreed. "I want to practice my trick-diving!"

"I want to paint the lake!" Harper said.

"Race you there!" Cooper laughed, starting the mad dash towards the water. The trolls remained in the treetops as they ran, laughing and whooping the entire way. Rosie didn't always take off her hat and stretch out her hair. She liked to use the branches of the trees like trampolines and bounce across the forest.

Then, Rosie landed on a weak part of an old branch, and she started falling. Normally, she would've saved herself with her own hair power. Instead, before she could even whip off her hat, she felt someone's arms around her. She looked up in surprise to see Creek swinging by his hair, holding her close to stop her fatal fall. Creek swung them up into another tree. He landed on his feet, holding Rosie bridal style in his arms.

When the two of them looked at each other, their noses brushed together from their faces being so close. Rosie had her arms hooked around his neck. Creek still had her in his arms. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment.

Creek cleared his throat and gently set Rosie on her feet. Rosie playing with her bangs, blushing fiercely.

"We should probably….." Creek stumbled over his words.

"Catch up with the others." Rosie finished, stammering a little.

"Right. Yes." Creek nodded. He bowed. "After you, milady."

Rosie giggled and jogged off to join her friends. Creek watched her for a moment before running after her. He still couldn't shake that strange feeling in his chest.

* * *

 **A/N: Was that cute enough for you? By the way, the spell that Branch uses, "rysto hop" is actually an anagram for "pyro shot."**


	16. A Rough Start to a Great Friendship

**A/N: Okay, new chapter! Which I am posting today in honor of my new job! Yay!**

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen – A Rough Start to a Great Friendship**

While Branch buried himself in the spell books and prepared for practice, Rosiepuff decided to busy herself with tidying up her home. That only lasted, however, until she found one of her old scrapbooks and started looking through it.

 _Knock knock_

"Rosiepuff? It's Peppy!"

"Come in!" Rosiepuff called back.

Peppy entered the pod, shutting the door behind him with his cane. In his free hand, he balanced a stack of books. "Do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure. What's all that?" Rosiepuff asked, eyeing the books Peppy carried.

"I got them from Cybil." Peppy said, setting the books on the table. "A couple are about why people have trouble sleeping, and the others are about ways to fall asleep easier."

Rosiepuff raised an eyebrow. "And why do I need those?"

"Branch told me you've been having trouble sleeping." Peppy explained. "Don't be too mad, he's just worried about you. And no one else knows except him, me, and Cybil. Rosie might know too. Branch asked me to help you if I could."

"You're kind to help me, Peppy." Rosiepuff said. "Thank you."

Peppy noticed the book in her lap. "Is that one of the old scrapbooks?"

"Can you believe it survived all these years?" Rosiepuff scooted over to make room on the couch for Peppy.

The old king chuckled. "Isn't that me and Oaken?"

"The two little rascals covered in mud?" Rosiepuff laughed. "Oh yes. How old were you in these pictures?"

Peppy thought about it. "I think we were teenagers at the time. You should've heard the scolding we got from Father. He left the punishment to Malcolm, who said he would punish us harshly, and then turned around and laughed right along with us."

"That's why he was able to laugh in this picture?" Rosiepuff flipped back a few pages to a photo taken during Malcolm's birthday. This time, all three boys had cake and frosting all over each other.

"I want to go on the record and say that your husband started it." Peppy said. Rosiepuff laughed and shook her head. She stared at the pictures for a moment, and then shut the scrapbook. She put her hands to her mouth and shut her eyes. Peppy stared at her worriedly. "Rosiepuff?"

"Sorry." Rosiepuff blinked her eyes open, trying to clear her eyes of tears before they could fall. "Still hard to think about…back then…." She sighed, softly rubbing the cover of the scrapbook. "I miss him."

Peppy reached over and put his hand over hers. "I know. I miss both of them. I miss those days when we were kids. When things were happier for all of us." He gave her hand a squeeze. "That's why I was so happy to know you came back. I have very few reminders of my life in my younger days. My brother and Oaken are gone. Cybil and I are friends, but we didn't have a very close bond until after I became king. When you came back, I felt like I got back a piece of my past."

Rosiepuff finally smiled. "I missed you, Peppy. I truly did. You were always there after Larch was taken, and we had to be there for each other when Oaken and Joy were lost. I owe you a lot for that."

Peppy shrugged it off. "You do what you can for the ones you care about." He noticed a slight blush in Rosiepuff's cheeks, and he realized he was still holding her hand. Peppy quickly let go, rubbing the back of his head. "You know, the ones you care about because they're your friend. And you are a friend! A very good friend."

Rosiepuff laughed. "Yes. You are a very good friend to me too."

"Great." Peppy said with a wide smile.

Rosiepuff stood. "Well, I should go back to cleaning my home."

"Right!" Peppy jumped to his feet. "And I, uh, have some former kingly duties to attend to and…...yeah, uh, bye!" He hurried out the door.

Rosiepuff shook her head. "Same old Peppy." She returned the scrapbook to its shelf, and she went back to her cleaning. Though, oddly enough, she still felt that blush in her face.

Peppy put a hand to his pounding heart. He shook it off and started for home. He didn't think he would feel like that again. Rosiepuff was only a good friend, that's all. She was married to his best friend, after all. Today was just evidence that they were rekindling the bond of friendship they shared when they were younger.

Still, if someone knew how they first met, they wouldn't have expected Peppy and Rosiepuff to become friends.

* * *

 _No matter how hard King Wolfrick tried, he couldn't keep his sons from escaping the Troll Tree and scampering off into the forest to have fun. Luckily for Peppy, Malcolm agreed to con their father into giving him "king lessons" while his little brother ran off. Oaken was with him the entire time. The blue troll dressed in green shorts, giving him freer range of movement as he followed the 17-year-old prince. Peppy may have been prince of the trolls, but Oaken was older than him, making the royal guard-in-training in charge. Oaken also carried his dagger buckled around his hips, just in case he had to protect his ward._

 _Peppy dressed in brown pants and a green vest. This was much more comfortable than the pants and button-up jacket his father insisted he wear all the time. He didn't wear his crown, so his dark pink hair could move freely. He hadn't quite grown facial hair yet, despite his attempts to force a mustache to appear. Not many male trolls had pink skin or hair. Peppy got his hair from his mother, who sadly died of sickness when Peppy was a young boy._

" _Hey Peppy!" Oaken called. "Wait up!"_

 _Peppy finally stopped running and turned as his friend caught up. "I thought you wanted to be the top royal guard. You gotta be in shape to do that."_

 _Oaken panted a little as he joined the young prince. "I_ am _in shape. You're just too crazy."_

" _Whatever, Bird Boy." Peppy laughed, flicking the talon around Oaken's neck._

 _Oaken laughed, rubbing the necklace affectionately. He made it himself with the talon of a bird he supposedly saved. Peppy still believed Oaken found the tiny talon on the ground and made a necklace out of it. "How many times has this lucky charm saved our lives?" Oaken reminded him._

" _I don't think it saved our lives just because it was lucky." Peppy said. "I don't think it's even lucky at all."_

" _Oh yeah?" Oaken took a few steps forward and pulled off the talon necklace. He folded it between his palms and bowed his head. "Oh magical lucky talon that I got from the bird whose life I saved—"_

" _Bogus!" Peppy teased._

" _Shh." Oaken said. "Please, oh great lucky talon, prove your lucky magic by leading us to something equally magical…...like a lovely mermaid with the voice of a siren."_

 _Peppy burst out laughing. "Come on, Oaken!"_

 _Oaken shushed him again. "The talon speaks to me. It says to go…this way!" He started walking off in a random direction. Peppy rolled his eyes and jogged after him. Oaken moved his hands this way and that, changing directions every few feet. Peppy just followed him with an amused smile on his lips. Still, this was more fun than studying his books like his father wanted. The forest offered a new adventure every day, and Peppy wanted to experience adventure as long as he could before his father roped him into being king. Wolfrick always told Malcolm and Peppy that he wanted them to rule the kingdom together. So once Malcolm was ready, Peppy would be thrust into the kingship too, whether he liked it or not._

 _As Oaken moved, Peppy listened to the forest around him. He loved the sound of the breeze through the tree leaves and the birds twittering as they flew and….the sound of someone singing?_

 _Peppy paused, listening closely._ _Yes, he could hear someone singing. Peppy looked to Oaken. The blue troll walked farther ahead, unaware that Peppy stopped. After considering it, Peppy figured it wouldn't hurt to give in to curiosity. He followed the voice—apparently a female's—as she continued to sing._ _It was a rather beautiful voice. So beautiful that Peppy was spellbound by the song. For a moment, he wondered if he would actually find a mermaid singing a siren song. Soon, he reached a section of tall grass and carefully parted it so he wouldn't startle the owner of the voice. When Peppy laid eyes on the source of the wonderful song, his jaw dropped._

 _Well, she was in water, and she had quite a beautiful voice. But she was no mermaid or siren. She was a troll. She had lovely lavender skin and hair the color of jade gemstone. A teal sundress lay on a rock nearby, and the troll scrubbed shampoo through her green locks. Peppy continued to stare and listen as she sang._

 _Meanwhile, Oaken was having great fun with his little game…until he heard a piercing scream echo from the forest. Oaken's eyes flew open, and he looked back towards Peppy. But he didn't see the prince anywhere._

" _Peppy? Peppy!" Oaken pulled his necklace on and ran in the direction of the scream. He doubted the scream was Peppy's; but where there was danger, Peppy was usually close by. Oaken drew his dagger as he burst through the bushes. He found Peppy on the ground, and he quickly knelt by the prince's side. "Peppy! What happened?"_

 _Peppy groaned, making a few choking sounds while holding his mouth. He moved his hand long enough to spit out a tooth before going back to massaging his jaw. "She punched me!" Peppy growled in frustration and pain._

 _Oaken blinked. "She?" Peppy pointed to the tall grass, and Oaken tentatively poked his head through it. He saw a sort of bubble made of green troll hair, and he slowly stepped towards it. "Um, hello?"_

" _You come in here, and I'll punch you too!" a female's voice snapped from inside._

" _I won't!" Oaken sheathed his dagger. "But, um, you do realize you just punched our illustrious Prince Peppy?"_

" _Well I didn't know our 'illustrious Prince Peppy' was such a Peeping Tom!" the troll huffed._

" _I am not a Peeping Tom!" Peppy snapped, pushing his way through the grass to join Oaken._

" _You are too!" the female troll argued._

" _Am not!"_

" _Are too!"_

" _Am not!"_

" _Are too!"_

" _All right!" Oaken interrupted. "My lady, Prince Peppy apologizes for interrupting your bath." He saw a dress and towel on a rock, and he quickly retrieved them. "Here are your things."_

 _A purple hand reached through the hair and snatched the dress and towel. In a few minutes, the hair retracted to its normal length to reveal the lavender-skinned troll Peppy saw. Shampoo still dripped from her hair, and she wrapped her towel tightly around her chest. She was careful to make sure the towel stretched down to her knees so she was properly covered. The female troll draped her dress over one arm._

" _Thank you." The troll nodded curtly. Her green eyes, which matched her hair, sent Peppy irritated glares._

 _Oaken bowed. "Like I said, Prince Peppy apologizes."_

" _What? She doesn't have to apologize to me for punching me?" Peppy complained._

 _Oaken elbowed him before smiling at the purple troll again. "Please, allow us to escort you home. It's the least we could do."_

 _The female troll narrowed her eyes. "Fine. Just give me a minute to get dressed." She ducked behind a rock._

 _Oaken nudged Peppy playfully. "She's kinda cute."_

 _Peppy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."_

" _Well, you saw her naked."_

" _I didn't see her naked!"_

" _But you saw her taking a bath."_

" _I saw her from the waist up, from the back, and then I saw her fist. That's it!"_

 _The purple troll returned wearing her teal sundress. She finished drying off her hair before approaching the men. "Shall we go?"_

 _Oaken gestured for her to go first, and the female held her head high as she marched off. Oaken and Peppy followed, the latter still rather irritated. Oaken cleared his throat. "Might we get your name, madam?"_

 _The female troll eyed him disdainfully. "Rosiepuff."_

* * *

 _Peppy should've expected Oaken to tell Malcolm all about what happened. For a week after the incident, Malcolm and Oaken would give him grief about it._

" _Tell me, what was her body like? She have nice curves?" Malcolm asked._

" _Okay, that's just wrong!" Peppy shoved his brother so hard he fell off the couch they sat on._

" _What?" Malcolm shrugged as he stood. "I'm just asking."_

" _Even if you saw her 'waist up, from the back,' surely you saw quite a bit of her." Oaken added, laughing even when Peppy threw a couch pillow at him._

" _If you must know, I was not paying attention to what her body looked like, but I still think she was a very pretty troll." Peppy said, crossing his arms with a huff._

" _Aww, my baby brother_ is _a peeper." Malcolm dodged Peppy's attack and pulled his brother into a headlock. He playfully scrubbed his knuckles into Peppy's hair. Malcolm had peach skin like his mother and brother, but he got his deep, dark purple hair from his father. Malcolm wore royal blue pants and a light blue button-up jacket adorned with silver embroidery. He liked the blues and purples that made him feel royal, as if his title as prince didn't do that already. It subtly juxtaposed Malcolm against his brother, who always wore earthy colors._

 _Peppy twisted out of Malcolm's hold. "Why must you torture me?"_

" _I'm your big brother, that's why." Malcolm laughed, shoving Peppy playfully._

" _Boys."_

 _Malcolm and Peppy jumped to their feet and spun around to face their father, who stood in the doorway of the library. King Wolfrick had dark blue skin, which complemented his purple hair nicely. His hair was such a deep purple color it looked almost black. His eyes were burgundy-colored. He dressed ornately: blue pants, a blue tunic with gold embroidery, and an emerald green cape that matched his leafy crown. Wolfrick stared at his sons with disappointment, though that seemed to be the look he always wore. He glanced to Oaken, who remembered what he was told to do when the king entered the room. Oaken went down on one knee and bowed his head respectfully._

" _Did I hear correctly that you harassed one of my subjects?" Wolfrick asked, staring at Peppy._

" _It was just a misunderstanding, Father." Peppy said. "That's all. I stumbled upon her while out in the forest, and she mistook my actions as inappropriate. She already informed me that all is forgiven."_

" _Is that so?" Wolfrick's tone clearly indicated he didn't believe his son. He turned to Oaken. "Go fetch the troll in question. I understand you were there with my son. Tell the troll I expect her in the throne room in half an hour."_

" _Yes, Your Majesty." Oaken ran off._

" _Get your crowns on and meet me in the throne room." Wolfrick ordered his sons._

" _Yes, Father." Malcolm and Peppy said simultaneously. Wolfrick turned and left the room._

" _Great. He's mad." Peppy sighed._

" _When is he_ not _mad?" Malcolm scoffed. "For a guy who's supposed to be perpetually happy all the time, he's a real sourpuss."_

" _Yeah, but only around us." Peppy reminded Malcolm as they headed for their room. "At least he puts on a jovial smile around the other trolls."_

 _Half an hour later, the king and his sons sat in the throne room and Oaken arrived with Rosiepuff. She still wore her usual teal sundress, but her hair looked too perfect, indicating she immaculately combed it before coming._

 _Rosiepuff approached the royal family and curtsied elegantly. "Your Majesties. Thank you for inviting me to your humble home."_

 _Peppy didn't like Rosiepuff, but he admired how she handled the situation. Wolfrick hadn't invited, he demanded. But she treated this with grace and dignity._

" _It has come to my attention that one of my sons behaved inappropriately to you." Wolfrick said. "Peppy? Do you have anything to say to this lovely young lady?"_

 _Peppy sighed._ This is so dumb. _He stood from his throne and took a few steps closer to the female troll. "Rosiepuff, I am very sorry for what happened in the forest. It was not right, and I apologize." He looked down. "To tell you the truth, I found you because I heard you sing. I heard a voice singing, and I was drawn to it. It's strange, because the voice was so sweet, and so beautiful. It reminded me of the stories my mother used to tell me about enchantresses and sirens whose voices were so wonderful, they would entice sailors and warriors to their deaths." Peppy chuckled and rubbed his jaw. "In this case, your voice pulled me right into a rightly deserved punch to the jaw. And I must say I have never met a troll—woman or otherwise—who punches as hard as you."_

 _During the talk, Rosiepuff's scornful glare softened, and she even laughed a little. "Well I must admit that my first thought was to punch simply because you startled me."_

" _I am very sorry for that." Peppy bowed. "Please accept my apology."_

 _Rosiepuff curtsied politely. "I do." She grinned at Peppy as he rose from his bow. "King Wolfrick, a friend of mine is hosting a concert in a few weeks, where I will be performing. I would be honored if you and your family would attend."_

" _It would be our pleasure." Wolfrick nodded. "Consider us there."_

 _Rosiepuff curtsied again before leaving. Wolfrick dismissed his sons, who joined Oaken and the three of them journeyed outside. They watched from the branches of the Troll Tree as Rosiepuff slid down to the ground and met with a couple of her friends._

" _I am so going to date her before either of you." Oaken said._

" _Oh please. My odds are so much better." Malcolm scoffed._

" _Why? Because you're a prince?" Oaken snorted._

" _Yes, and I'm charming." Malcolm said._

" _Well I'm roguishly handsome." Oaken protested._

" _Actually, I think_ I'm _going to date her before either of you." Peppy said._

" _Why?" Malcolm and Oaken demanded._

" _Two reasons: one, I complimented her singing voice first, something she takes very seriously. And two," Peppy smirked teasingly. "I saw her first."_

* * *

 _Unfortunately for the boys, Rosiepuff paid them no heed. No matter what they did to vie for her affections, the most she would do was glance at them with a bored expression._

" _I'm telling you, those boys are going to get more than a punch from me if they don't knock it off." Rosiepuff complained to her friends during rehearsal one day. "I don't care if Peppy and Malcolm are the princes."_

" _You should consider yourself lucky." One of her friends laughed, tuning her harp. "Getting hit on by the princes_ and _a royal guard?"_

" _I am not as into the boys as you are, Eclipse." Rosiepuff sighed. "Most of the boys throw themselves on you and you enjoy it. Me? Not so much."_

 _Eclipse laughed. Her skin was a pale, periwinkle blue, and her hair and eyes were bright purple. She wore a sundress, except hers was strapless, with a slit on the side of the skirt that went up to her thigh. The dress was blue like the sky and covered in glitter. Eclipse had a prettiness about her that made many a male troll swoon. She had also been Rosiepuff's dear friend since they were toddlers._

 _Rosiepuff's second friend—a troll with green skin and hair, wearing a purple dress—blew a few notes on her flute. "As time goes by, perhaps you will find true love within one of them."_

" _I doubt it, Cybil." Rosiepuff sighed. "In fact, I don't ever want to see them again."_

 _Someone cleared their throat, and the girls spun around to see a familiar prince had entered their rehearsal space. "Uh, hello Rosiepuff." Peppy greeted with an awkward wave._

" _I don't think you're going to get your wish, my friend." Cybil said with an airy giggle._

 _Peppy cleared his throat again. "I was just wondering if…that is…..." He chuckled nervously. Suddenly, a female troll pushed past him with a panicked look on her face._

" _Rosiepuff!" the female troll noticed the prince and bowed. "Sorry, Prince Peppy. May I interrupt?"_

" _Of course." Peppy nodded._

 _The troll looked back to Rosiepuff. "We have a problem: Birch won't sing."_

" _What?" Rosiepuff stomped past the troll, her friends close behind._

" _Wait, who's Birch?" Peppy asked, hurrying after the girls. When they arrived at another rehearsal section, Peppy suddenly remembered who Birch was. He had orange skin and yellow hair, and wore a pair of green overalls. Currently, he lounged on the ground and pretended to read a book. Based on the look on his face, Peppy could tell Birch expected Rosiepuff to come stomping up to him._

" _What is this I hear about you not wanting to sing with me?" Rosiepuff demanded._

" _I don't feel like it." Birch shrugged as he stood._

" _The concert is in one week." Rosiepuff said. "When I asked if you would sing with me, you said that wasn't a problem!"_

" _Well maybe I suddenly got busy." Birch sauntered over to Rosiepuff. "But I guess I could push back those plans if…..you agreed to my little invitation?"_

 _Rosiepuff glared. "You're refusing to sing with me because I denied you a date?"_

" _You asked me to sing with you." Birch shrugged._

" _Because the song I'm singing has a small male role. You expressed interest in the song." Rosiepuff countered. "Or were you just interested in me?"_

" _I'll go on that date with you." Eclipse offered with a flirtatious smile._

" _Everyone wants to go out with you." Birch said. "But you, Rosiepuff, like to play hard to get, don't you?"_

" _I have no interest in being with someone as disgustingly ugly as you!" Rosiepuff snapped._

 _Peppy winced a little. He never heard someone so sharp-tongued._ Wonder how long she's had to deal with this.

 _Birch frowned. "Fine. Good luck finding another singer for your little show." He turned and stomped off angrily._

" _As if I need another one." Rosiepuff muttered. She marched away in the other direction, Cybil close behind her._

 _Peppy stopped Eclipse before she could follow. "Hey Eclipse, what's that all about?"_

" _Rosiepuff chose a special song her parents sang for their soulmate song." Eclipse explained. "She wanted to sing it in honor of them at this concert."_

 _Peppy nodded in understanding. He was sad to find out he had no idea who Rosiepuff's parents were, or how they died. One of the downsides of Wolfrick constantly keeping him in the royal pod: Peppy knew only a handful of his subjects. "So Birch just agreed to sing with her for his own gain?"_

" _Yes." Eclipse sighed. "It's not even a duet. The male role is more like a cameo."_

 _Peppy's eyes lit up with an idea. "Can you do me a favor? Without telling Rosiepuff?"_

* * *

 _When the night of the concert arrived, Birch stayed true to his word. He sat with the audience, smirking at Rosiepuff smugly._

" _Can you believe him?" Rosiepuff huffed as she changed into her performance dress. "It's like he thinks I can't put on a good show without him."_

" _You know you're one of the best singers in this village." Eclipse said. "Now, Cybil is standing by for her performance. You're up after her, and then it's me. We're going to be waiting for you to cheer you on."_

 _Rosiepuff brushed off her skirt and looked in the mirror. She wore a white dress with off-the-shoulder straps and a ruffled skirt that would spread out prettily when she spun around. She exhaled softly. "I've done concerts before, and yet I always get nervous."_

 _Eclipse grinned. "That happens to all of us." She circled Rosiepuff, her finger to her lip in thought. "But you know, this could use something more. I got it!" She waved her hand elegantly, closed her fingers into a fist, and then opened her hand with her palm up. She blew into her palm as though blowing dust off, and glitter materialized out of thin air and settled onto Rosiepuff's dress._

 _Rosiepuff quickly slapped Eclipse's hand down, looking around her in fear. "Eclipse! You can't use your magic in the kingdom!"_

" _If I don't practice, my magic will build up inside me, and I will explode." Eclipse shrugged. "And even I don't know if I'll legitimately explode or not."_

" _If Wolfrick finds out that you're a sorceress by birth, he will have you banished, maybe even executed." Rosiepuff warned in a low voice. "Our 'renowned' king is paranoid, superstitious and, quite frankly, a bit of a whack-job."_

" _He's not going to find out because I am careful." Eclipse assured. "And you won't tell anyone."_

" _You're my best friend, Eclipse." Rosiepuff said. "You and Cybil. I would never do anything to hurt you, and I will_ never _let Wolfrick find out." She sighed. "I do worry about you using that magic. You're already spending enough energy trying to keep those Bergen scouts away."_

" _But I can handle it." Eclipse assured. A few years ago, the trolls were discovered by a strange, humongous creature known as a Bergen. Ever since, Bergens have tried to find them again and steal trolls away. The trolls who were taken never came back. The trolls were mostly protected by the forest and the fact that the Bergens were none too bright. Eclipse set her own magical traps to ensure the Bergens couldn't find them very easily._

" _I just worry about you." Rosiepuff said with a shrug._

 _Eclipse smiled. "I think you need a pick-me-up. This was going to be a birthday present, but I think you should have it now." She held up her palms, murmuring words under her breath with her eyes closed. Before Rosiepuff's eyes, a glowing orb of light appeared in Eclipse's hands. Eclipse opened her eyes and gently pushed the orb forward, and it floated right into Rosiepuff's chest._

" _What was that?" Rosiepuff breathed._

" _A part of me that now lives in you." Eclipse said. "It will come forth when you need it most. You are my friend, Rosiepuff, and I will always be there for you."_

 _Rosiepuff grinned and hugged her friend. "And I will be there for you." She and Eclipse turned at the sound of applause. It was almost Rosiepuff's turn._

" _Break a leg!" Eclipse said, encouraging Rosiepuff out towards the stage._

 _Once Cybil finished, Rosiepuff took the stage and prepared for her song. The musicians tuned their instruments, and Rosiepuff took a moment to scan the crowd. She saw Birch whispering to his friends and gesturing to her, but she ignored him. Rosiepuff saw the royal family sitting above the rest of the trolls. Oddly enough, she didn't see Prince Peppy. She shrugged it off as the song began. It was a song sung in Spanish, an old language her parents and grandparents used to speak. Though no one understood the words, the song had a good beat._ _Rosiepuff had started the dance with smooth, slow movements, like a ballet. As the tempo picked up, so did her moves, until she was doing something akin to a Latin-style dance. She would spin around so fast her skirt would fan out like a flower._

 _The song held a special place in Rosiepuff's heart. It was the song her mother wrote herself, and couldn't finish for a few years until a troll came along who later became her husband. Rosiepuff remembered being a little girl, and listening to her parents sing this song and dance the night away. Singing this song was one of the best ways Rosiepuff knew to remember and honor her parents._

 _Then came the part where Birch was supposed to sing with her. But not anymore. Rosiepuff only asked Birch to sing with her because he had a good set of pipes. That was all. He took in a different direction. Rosiepuff knew the song would work just as well if she skipped the male part._

 _Then, she heard another voice, and the music didn't jump like she told the musicians it should. Rosiepuff spun around and stared in surprise when Peppy came onstage. He was singing the male part with perfect eloquence, as though he were bilingual. Peppy gestured to Rosiepuff to join him and continue singing, and Rosiepuff grinned as she accepted the impromptu performance partner. Peppy offered his hand, and Rosiepuff took it. He pulled her in close, and they began something of a tango._

 _Once he finished the main part of the male contribution, and Peppy bowed to Rosiepuff as he backed away. To his surprise, Rosiepuff grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. She nodded reassuringly, and encouraged him to continue dancing and singing with her._

 _Rosiepuff and Peppy each took a bow as the trolls applauded loudly. The applause didn't stop even after they left the stage and let the next group of trolls prepare for their performance. Once they got to the backstage area, Rosiepuff hugged Peppy._

" _That was rather impressive, Prince Peppy." Rosiepuff admitted._

 _Peppy rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I didn't want you to be left hanging just because Birch was a jerk."_

 _Rosiepuff's grin told him she was thankful for his actions rather than angry. "I didn't know you spoke Spanish."_

" _I don't." Peppy said. "Eclipse gave me the lyrics. Cybil taught me the tango."_

" _Why did you do all of this?" Rosiepuff asked._

" _Because I just wanted to do something kind for you." Peppy said. "I haven't been very kind. I've been competing with my brother and my friend. I don't want any kind of relationship we may have—platonic or otherwise—to start out like that."_

 _Rosiepuff rolled her eyes, but still smiled. "Why don't we start this entire thing over?" She held out her hand. "My name's Rosiepuff. It's very nice to meet you."_

 _Peppy laughed and shook her hand. "I am Prince Peppy, and the pleasure is mine."_


	17. A Fight to Protect

**A/N: Your reactions to the last chapter were awesome! Now, here's where things get tense. Enjoy!**

 **Feanwen: Yes, I will have a few more flashbacks like that. Keep an eye out for them!**

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen – A Fight to Protect**

The trolls ooh-ed and aah-ed as little fires and ghosts flittered about in the air. Branch manipulated every little shadow and every sparkler, making a variety of shapes to the delight of the crowd. He was finally getting the hang of his magic after practicing every single day. To assure trust from the trolls, he orchestrated a demonstration for the kingdom. He even invited Gristle and Bridget. Nobody showed any concern over the fact that their king suddenly had magic, and everyone just nodded in understanding when Branch explained he inherited it from his mother and the powers recently came into light.

When Branch finished his magic show—and after he talked to several curious trolls—he decided to take Symphony for a ride. Riding his phoenix friend became a daily thing, and he took that time to nurture the bond Symphony made with him. Besides, he found out that he loved flying. Every feeling of the flight—the wind in his hair, the adrenaline, the speed—caused him such a rush, and he enjoyed it all.

Symphony darted through the streets of Bergen Town, skillfully swerving in-between buildings and doing corkscrews just for the fun of it. Branch didn't both with a saddle. He just gripped Symphony's feathers tight enough to keep him on her back. Symphony could sense her rider's euphoria, and she did everything she could to increase the feeling. The phoenix flew straight up, so high that the buildings looked like toys below. She paused at the peak of her ascension, and she let gravity pull her and Branch down. Branch whooped and laughed as Symphony spread her wings and soared over Bergen Town until they reached the forest. The phoenix landed on a tree branch to catch her breath.

Branch hopped down from Symphony, cheering again. "Symphony, that's so great! Aw man, that's so awesome! You really know your stuff."

Symphony puffed her chest out, clearly proud. She bent her head down and nuzzled Branch.

Branch petted the phoenix's head. "Did my mom love to ride you too?" The phoenix nodded, and Branch chuckled. "You understand me. I can't tell if it's because I somehow speak phoenix or you're just smart." Branch stroked Symphony's head. "I wish I could understand you. The stories you could tell. I wish we could somehow talk to each other. My grandma can tell me everything I want to know about my dad. I have a lot to remember him by. But, for some reason, I don't have a lot to remember Mom by. I have her necklace." He reached into his vest and pulled out said amulet. He rubbed it with his thumb. "This was hers. It's a piece of her. Now I have you. Another piece of my mother."

Symphony made a soft chirping noise, sounding almost mournful.

"You miss her too, huh?" Branch sighed, tucking the amulet away again. "I do too. I know I never got the chance to know her, but I miss her. I wish I knew her better. There are so many mysteries around my mother. Grandma ought to know about Mom's phoenix training. But I don't want to ask her right now. She's going through enough already." He sighed again, and then put on a smile. "For now, I'm happy you're in my life, Symphony."

Symphony made a high-pitched chittering noise and nuzzled Branch lovingly.

Branch chuckled. "I love you too."

* * *

Not every day had to be a party for the trolls, even for a troll like Rosie. It was far too hot today for partying, so Rosie and her friends decided to sit around and relax. Bliss hummed to herself as she brushed her hair. Harper painted Moxie, who struck her best dance pose. Glint had to lay in the shade because, if he lay in the sun, his sparkly skin would reflect the light into everyone's eyes. Glen, a friend of Glint's, drew pictures in the dirt with a stick. Rosie sat next to Creek and chatted with him. Creek enjoyed talking with Rosie about anything: what was going on in their days, new songs they heard recently, and even yoga poses he liked to do.

"How's the baby pod coming along?" Creek asked during the conversation.

"Yeah!" Bliss agreed. "Is it developing well?"

"Dr. Plum took a look yesterday." Rosie answered. "We're at the fourth month of the pregnancy period, and the baby pod is developing nicely."

"I never understood how that worked." Glint said. "Like, first the baby is in the mom, and then the mom lays an egg or something?"

"Glint, you took the same health class as us." Moxie laughed. "Remember? The one Dr. Plum gave us when we entered our puberty years?"

"Was I supposed to be paying attention in that class?" Glint asked. Everyone else just rolled their eyes and/or laughed.

"How _does_ that work?" Glen asked.

"Well, you guys know how the baby gets _in_ the mom, right?" Rosie asked.

"Yes!" Glen grimaced. "Please don't go into those details."

"I have no problem with those details." Glint said, kissing Bliss on the cheek and causing her to giggle.

Rosie rolled her eyes. "So, after the mother is impregnated, she carries the seed of the troll baby inside her for about four to five months. After that time, her water breaks, and she has to sit on a pile of special soil. That soil has natural nutrients that are vital for helping the baby grow. The four to five months the baby spends inside the mother are for developing who the baby will be: the colors, the personality, the musical talents, etc. When the mom's water breaks, she has to essentially plant this seed in the soil. If all goes well—and it usually does—the seed immediately sprouts into a flower pod, which will continue to grow for another four or five months. Then the flower blooms, and there's a troll baby inside! Altogether, the pregnancy period is about nine months. Anything shorter than that, and the baby may not be born healthy."

The friends clapped, and Rosie bowed teasingly. "Thank you, oh wise and book-smart Princess Rosie." Harper said with a giggle.

"What's the point of the pod stage?" Bliss asked.

"That's a very crucial part of the pregnancy." Creek explained. "In short, it's the part where all the information gathered from the mother develops into an actual baby."

"Creek's right." Rosie said. "In the pod stage, the baby's body develops so he or she can have their hair abilities and colors."

"Oh, so the colors come in the pod stage." Glint mused. "Now I see why that's so important."

"What do you mean?" Moxie asked.

"Well, imagine what might happen if the baby wasn't fully developed." Glint said. "The kid might end up being born grey."

"What's wrong with that?" Harper shrugged. "I mean, I love my colors myself, but what's the worst that could happen if a baby was born grey?"

"Yeah, our king was grey once." Bliss reminded Glint.

"Until he got his colors back." Glint countered. "Our parents all turned grey during that last Trollstice. But they all got their colors back, and so did King Branch, even when he was grey longer than any other troll in history. The fact of the matter is trolls are not meant to be grey. It's not a part of who we are."

"Now that I think about it, no troll has ever been born grey before." Moxie mused.

"And trolls are supposed to be happy all the time." Glen added. "When we lose our colors, we lose our happiness. When that happens, everyone helps each other to bring that happiness back."

"See?" Glint said. "Trolls aren't supposed to be grey. I guess that's why the pod stage is so important."

Creek sensed distress, and he glanced to Rosie. The look in her eyes matched her aura. "Rosie?"

Rosie's head shook as she came back into focus. "Hey! Who wants to go see the pod? Dad won't freak as long as we don't touch it."

"I do!" all the girls squealed immediately.

"Creek? Glint? Glen?" Rosie asked as she stood.

"Nah." Glint shrugged.

"I got to see my baby sister's pod grow." Glen said. "I'm good."

"And I'd like to do a bit of meditating in this fresh air." Creek said.

"Okay. See you later!" Rosie and the girls hurried off. Rosie readjusted her hat on her head, resisting the urge to pull out her mirror. She could only hope her hat hid the black streak in her hair.

Creek was about to fold himself into a lotus position when Glint suddenly approached him. He didn't look very happy. "Getting kind of close to the princess, aren't we?"

Creek stood up. He didn't like Glint being above him, just in case this took a turn towards violence. Based on Glint's aura, that seemed more and more likely. "I don't know what you mean." Creek said coolly.

"My skin may be blinding, but I can see it." Glint said. "I see the looks you give her."

"How is that your business?" Creek demanded.

"I don't think you should be showing that kind of affection to her." Glen said, coming over to join Glint. "You're not worthy of her."

"Who are you to decide that?" Creek asked in an even tone. "I think Rosie can decide for herself."

" _Princess_ Rosie." Glen corrected.

"She says I can just call her 'Rosie.'" Creek tried really hard to keep the smugness from his voice, but he mostly failed.

Glint snorted. "Wow. A troll in his mid-thirties fawning for a teenage girl. Robbing the cradle much?"

"In case you haven't noticed," Creek gestured to himself. "I'm actually much younger now. That's hard to believe, but just look for yourself."

"I am looking. You know what I see?" Glint sneered, stepping closer to Creek. The purple troll refused to be intimidated. Glint glared at him. "I see a traitor. I see someone who doesn't really care. You may be my age now, but reversing your age doesn't reverse your actions, or the fact that you dated the queen."

Creek glared a little now. "How do you know about that?"

"From Dad." Glint said with a taunting smirk. "What's up with that, Creek? You couldn't be king through Poppy, so you're going after her daughter?"

"Any feelings I may or may not have for Rosie are none of your business." Creek growled. "None of this is your business."

"Maybe I'm not making myself clear." Glint said. "You're going to stay away from Rosie, or Glen and I are going to beat you into a pulp. Got it now?"

Creek's hands curled into fists, and he struggled to keep his temper under control. "You can't tell me who I am or what to do."

"Oh yeah?" Glen scoffed.

"Excuse me."

The boys turned to the voice and, in a split-second, Glint and Glen backed away from Creek and stood up straight and tall. Rosiepuff stood before them, her arms crossed and her foot tapping. She did not look very happy. "Is there a problem here?" Rosiepuff asked.

"No, ma'am." Glen and Glint said at once.

Rosiepuff hummed in thought. "I need to speak with Creek. Why don't you boys run along?" Glint and Glen only nodded and ran off, almost tripping over each other. They, like every other troll, knew better than to disobey Rosiepuff. Disobeying her was worse than disobeying the king or queen.

"Thanks." Creek sighed. "I can't believe how hard I had to try to keep my temper in check."

"A lot changed in you when you drank that youth potion, Creek." Rosiepuff said. "It's like someone pressed the rewind button on your entire psychology. The only reason I stayed the same is because Blackwood only ever gave me enough to reverse a few years, not an entire decade."

Creek nodded in understanding. He looked to Rosiepuff, and he realized she did not look well at all. Now that she had relaxed out of her stern expression and stance, her eyes appeared bloodshot behind half-raised eyelids. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed to be swaying.

"When did you last get a good night's sleep?" Creek asked.

Rosiepuff suppressed a yawn. "I don't know. A couple days? A week?"

"More like two weeks." Creek muttered. "You should really go see my mother about this."

"No, I don't—" Rosiepuff couldn't finish before a yawn interrupted her.

"Don't want her to worry? You think she hasn't noticed?" Creek sighed. "Rosiepuff, you're a very self-sacrificing person. You'd do anything to help others and keep them happy. When will you do the same for yourself?"

Rosiepuff stared at Creek with exhausted irritation. "That's the thanks I get for saving you from getting beaten up?"

Creek crossed his arms. "You helped me, so I'll help you." He suddenly grabbed Rosiepuff's wrist and half-dragged, half-led her away.

"Creek, no." Rosiepuff moaned, yawning again. "Cybil's probably too busy anyway."

"Not to help a friend." Creek assured. He didn't hear any more protests, so he brought Rosiepuff right to Cybil's pod. He left her at the table in the main room while he searched for his surrogate mother.

"Two weeks?" Cybil was stunned to hear Creek's explanation. "Are you sure?"

"Well, I assume she hasn't had a good night's sleep in two weeks." Creek corrected. "But right now, she looks like she hasn't slept at all in a couple days. Not only is this bad for her sanity, it makes her more vulnerable. Blackwood will strike when we least expect it, and he'll take her when she collapses from exhaustion."

"We certainly can't let that happen." Cybil murmured. "Get some chamomile tea." Creek nodded and did as he was told. Cybil got to work pulling down different herbs and crushing them with a bowl and mortar. When Creek finished the tea, he set a trio of teacups on a tray and filled each cup with the tea. Cybil pulled one cup farther away from the other two, and she added the herbs she crushed to the cup. Cybil lifted the tray and Creek opened the door for her so they could reenter the main room. Neither of them were surprised to see Rosiepuff asleep at the table. She jerked awake and rubbed her eyes to force the sleepiness away.

"Rosiepuff, you should sleep." Creek said as he and Cybil sat down on either side of her. "If you're tired, then sleep."

"Every time I close my eyes, I get nightmares." Rosiepuff murmured tiredly. She accepted the cup of tea Cybil offered her.

"Your nightmares stem from your fear that Blackwood will return." Cybil said.

"You think he won't?" Rosiepuff scoffed bitterly. She took a few gulps of her tea, in hopes the heat would shock her awake.

"We can talk when you wake up." Cybil said.

"What?" Rosiepuff asked. She already finished her cup and absent-mindedly reached for Creek's tea.

"Just relax and remain calm." Cybil said, tranquilly sipping her tea.

Rosiepuff yawned again. She could hardly keep her eyes open. "Cybil…"

"Time for bed." Cybil helped Rosiepuff stand and led her back into the bedroom. Rosiepuff was hardly aware of Cybil tucking her into the bed as she drifted off to sleep. Cybil left Rosiepuff to sleep and rejoined her son. "That should hold her. She'll wake up naturally tomorrow morning. We will have to tell King Branch that his grandmother is spending the night in our home this evening."

"That was the sleep remedy, right?" Creek guessed. "You used to give me that to help me sleep when I had a cold."

"Indeed." Cybil nodded. "It induces a heavy sleep. So heavy that Rosiepuff won't even dream. She doesn't dream, she sleeps easy, and she will be immensely better in the morning."

"Have you done that before? To Rosiepuff, that is." Creek asked.

"Yes, and she wasn't too happy about it." Cybil admitted.

"Wonder how she will react this time." Creek mused.

* * *

" _CYBIL! YOU SNEAKY LITTLE RAT!"_

Creek never heard Rosiepuff shout before. He never wanted to hear it again. Rosiepuff expressed anger through her words. She was soft of tone but sharp of tongue. Hearing her shout was like listening to a ferocious beast's roar.

Cybil remained oddly serene. "Remember when you were wondering how she would react to my sleep remedy?"

"I just remembered that Cooper asked me to help him with….something…" Creek ran off before Rosiepuff could storm into the room.

Rosiepuff did look well-rested at last, but she also looked plenty angry. Cybil took another sip of her tea. "Good morning, Rosiepuff."

"You slipped that sleepy stuff into my drink, didn't you?" Rosiepuff growled.

"Yes, yes I did. Double the dose this time." Cybil said. "Would you like some breakfast?"

Rosiepuff narrowed her eyes. "And you wonder why I nicknamed you Psycho Cybil as a child."

"I always thought it was payback for calling you Rosie Puffball." Cybil shrugged.

Rosiepuff groaned and plopped down at the table. She reluctantly accepted the plate of toast and jar of jam from Cybil and started eating. "I will admit only this: I feel more rested than I've felt in weeks."

"Good." Cybil nodded. "The main reason you are having trouble sleeping is because your nightmares keep you awake. It is understandable." She reached across the table to grab a small pouch, which she handed to Rosiepuff. "That is more of the sleeping herb. Mix a pinch of it into your tea before you go to bed, and you will sleep heavily enough that you will not dream."

"Then I also won't hear anyone coming into my home and taking me away." Rosiepuff said.

"Not necessarily. You think no one is watching over you?" Cybil scoffed. "And if that is not enough, we will set up a guard. I am sure your grandson will be more than happy to oblige." She took Rosiepuff's hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. "You are afraid Blackwood will return. It is a valid fear, but you are letting it destroy your life."

Rosiepuff stared at the bag of herbs. "What do you suggest I do?"

Cybil smiled gently. "Plan for Blackwood's return. Live as though he will never come back."

Rosiepuff finally looked to her friend, and she grinned. "Thanks, Psycho."

"Anytime, Puffball." Cybil giggled softly. "Let us speak of something happier."

"Like how good this jam is?" Rosiepuff suggested.

"I'm thinking more about….how you seem to be acting strangely around Peppy lately." Cybil said with a sly grin.

Rosiepuff paused as she poured herself some tea. "I'm sorry?"

"I sense something in your aura when you're near him, when you talk to him." Cybil said. "In fact, I sense it now, as we are talking about him."

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." Rosiepuff said.

"You're blushing." Cybil said.

"I am not." Rosiepuff denied.

"Due to a troll's unique skin pigment, we can only judge paleness or blood rush based on how light or dark the skin is compared to its natural color." Cybil said.

"Yes, thank you, I am well aware." Rosiepuff said.

"Then you know that the darkening in your cheeks means you're blushing." Cybil pointed out. "Your heart is probably racing and your aura is pulsing."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Rosiepuff asked with a raised eyebrow.

"How shall I put this?" Cybil mused. "When you're near Peppy, your aura changes and fluctuates in a way that indicates a higher heart rate and a burst of emotion."

Rosiepuff stared at Cybil in confusion. "Um…what?"

Cybil rolled her eyes. "You're in love with Peppy." Cybil said bluntly.

Rosiepuff did a perfect spit-take with her tea. "Excuse me?"

"You're in love with Peppy, or at least you're falling in love with him." Cybil said with a simple shrug. "In my opinion, you two are a good match."

"I'm not saying I disagree with that last statement, but I am not falling love with Peppy." Rosiepuff protested. "Oaken and I were happily married."

"And that means you can't fall in love again?" Cybil asked rhetorically. "I would think that Oaken's love and his memory would be what's teaching you to love again. Heaven forbid, I don't think he'd be angry at you."

Rosiepuff rubbed the rim of her teacup with her thumb. "I don't know, Cybil. I think we just missed each other. Like how much you and I missed each other." She raised an eyebrow. "You _did_ miss me, right?"

"Oh that's not even funny!" Cybil huffed while Rosiepuff laughed. Then, Cybil turned serious. "Rosiepuff, it's okay to change. It's okay to fall in love again. I am not completely convinced that you were never in love with him in the first place."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rosiepuff asked.

"You tell me." Cybil countered. "You're the one who had three different trolls trying to get your attention. Peppy, Oaken, and Malcolm were all very good friends to us. You may have married Oaken, but I don't think he was the only one you loved."

Rosiepuff looked away and frowned. "You are stepping out of line, Cybil."

Cybil nodded. "My apologies." She stood and went to refill the teapot. She paused at the kitchen door. "Doesn't mean I'm wrong."

Rosiepuff didn't answer.

* * *

For the next couple nights, Rosiepuff slept easy. If she did dream, she only had good ones. She didn't know if that was the sleep aid herbs or Creek dream-speaking again. She still appreciated the happy dreams over the nightmares.

Now that she was properly rested, Rosiepuff could think about what Cybil told her. Rosiepuff would admit to herself that she enjoyed being back in Peppy's company. And, yes, she did notice that her heart raced and her face felt hot when she was near him. It meant nothing. How could it mean anything? She chose a troll to marry, and Oaken had been a wonderful husband. Would she have accepted Peppy's proposal, if he had given it to her? Yes. Was she hurt when he chose to marry Joy instead? Of course not. Besides, Peppy was several years younger than her. Then again, with him aging naturally and her being forced to take that potion, they were about the same age now. And love did not discriminate by age, anyway.

 _Wait, what am I thinking?_ Rosiepuff shook those thoughts from her head. She suddenly smelled something burning, and she realized with a start that it was the soup on the stove. She quickly took the pot off the heat and stirred the soup inside, praying it wasn't too badly burnt. This was supposed to be a thank-you gift to Cybil for the sleeping herbs, which proved to be helpful despite Rosiepuff's reluctance. She couldn't very well give it to Cybil burnt to a crisp. Hopefully letting it sit overnight, as the recipe instructed, would help. This was the last thing Rosiepuff had to do before she went to bed. She already had her tea ready and sitting on the counter.

Rosiepuff put the lid on the pot and turned off the stove. She felt a bit of a chill, and decided to close the window since it was apparently so cold outside. Except the window was already shut, even the windows in the living room when Rosiepuff checked those too. Tentatively, she opened the door and poked her head outside. Silence and calm settled over Troll Grove, with a few pods here and there still alight. Most trolls already went to bed or started to, and Rosiepuff slipped back into her home. She shut and locked the door behind her. As she turned out the lights on her way to the kitchen, Rosiepuff couldn't shake that strange feeling that something wasn't right. She checked her soup again, gave it a few more stirs, and then placed the heavy lid over the top and moved the entire pot to a backburner so it wouldn't accidentally fall off the counter.

A sudden sound made Rosiepuff jump. It sounded like something fell on the keys of her piano and then hit the floor. There was someone in her house. She fumbled for a weapon and ended up grabbing the nearest frying pan. Rosiepuff wielded her weapon like a bat, slowly stepping towards the door separating her from the living room. Her heart pounded and her hands shook, but she would not show fear towards someone like Blackwood. When she found him, she would whack him on the head so hard it would come right off his shoulders.

Exhaling silently and counting down, Rosiepuff pushed the door open. After a minute, she lunged towards the shadow she swore she saw, and she swung the frying pan.

The pan hit the wall, leaving a dent.

Rosiepuff's eyes darted around her home. The moonlight coming through the window revealed no intruder. Rosiepuff let out the breath she didn't know she held, and she smirked. Twirling the frying pan confidently, she tossed it onto the stove and hummed to herself. It was just her imagination after all. A sign that she was tired and should get some sleep. Rosiepuff took her cup of tea with her as she shut off the kitchen lights and made her way to her room.

In the darkness, one hand grabbed her arm while another hand covered her mouth to muffle her gasp/scream. Her teacup hit the ground.

"Shh." Blackwood whispered in her ear. "Don't scream. Please do not scream. It hurts my ears."

Rosiepuff desperately tried to pull herself free, but Blackwood twisted her arm painfully. She stilled immediately, her breathing labored through her nose.

Blackwood's grip loosened ever so slightly on her arm. "I can feel you trembling." He put an ear closer to Rosiepuff's shoulder. "And my goodness is your heart pounding. Are you afraid of me?"

Rosiepuff didn't give any answer, vocal or otherwise. Her breathing evened out.

"Oh, you shouldn't be afraid of me, Rosiepuff." Blackwood cooed with pity. "After all, I told you I would return. My home is mostly repaired now, so it's time for you to come back."

The very thought made Rosiepuff scared but also extremely angry, and she tried to pull herself out of his grip. Blackwood gave her arm another twist, and this time she couldn't bite back the gasp of pain.

"Don't make this difficult, Rosiepuff." Blackwood warned. "Or I'll be dragging you home by your hair."

Rosiepuff finally caught her chance, and she stomped her heel onto Blackwood's foot. His grip loosened fully, and Rosiepuff elbowed him in the stomach before judo-flipping him over onto the ground. Now free, she sprinted for the door and escaped.

Blackwood groaned in pain as he lay on the ground. "How _does_ she do that?!"

Rosiepuff almost tripped as she ran and jumped across tree branches towards the royal pod. She skidded to a halt when Reaper landed in her path; and when she tried to run the other way, Blackwood stopped her.

"Leave me alone!" Rosiepuff snapped, masking her fear with her anger.

"Now stop being so difficult." Blackwood sounded like he scolded a child.

Rosiepuff looked around. Except she didn't have anywhere to go. If she jumped from where she stood, she might not make it to another branch. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Remind me the part where you had a choice." Blackwood scoffed. "Who's going to stop me from taking you back?"

" _Rysto hop!"_

Blackwood jumped back, and a fireball hit the spot he previously occupied. Reaper screeched in pain when something hard hit him on the head. Two figures leaped down from above, one standing between Rosiepuff and the sorcerer and the other facing off the dark phoenix.

"That would be me." Branch growled at Blackwood.

"And me." Creek agreed, spinning his staff.

Blackwood rolled his eyes. "Oh this is rich. Fine. You want to die? I will happily oblige." He summoned lightning in his palms as Branch lunged for him. Creek jumped up when Reaper snapped his beak at the troll. Creek landed on Reaper's head and started hitting and punching and kicking the dark phoenix. Rosiepuff had to spend all her time avoiding stray magic attacks and Reaper's flapping wings. She couldn't find an opening to get out of there.

Reaper managed to pinch Creek's hair in his beak and threw the troll aside. Creek flipped and turned and landed on his feet, still standing protectively in front of Rosiepuff. Reaper hissed, his feathers ruffled with hostility.

"Now!" Poppy's voice shouted.

"Death from above!" Cooper cheered as the Snack Pack, Poppy included, jumped from the higher branches and landed on Reaper. The dark phoenix screeched in surprise and tried to buck the attacking trolls off her.

"Rosiepuff, jump!" Creek ordered.

Rosiepuff saw a flash of red, and she leaped off the branch as Symphony flew under her. She landed right behind Rosie. "Hang on, Grandma!" Rosie called, steering Symphony away from the fight.

Branch encased his hands in ice to block Blackwood's lightning-infused punch. Despite how hard Blackwood pushed, Branch stood firm. "Got some magic yourself, eh?" Blackwood sneered.

"You better believe it." Branch snarled. He put his hand to Blackwood's chest and pushed a blast of energy into him, sending the sorcerer flying backwards. Blackwood dug his feet into the tree limb to stop himself from falling off the edge. He glared at Branch and shot a blast of lightning towards him. Creek saw the strike coming and used his staff to pole-vault himself over Branch, landing between the lightning and the king. Creek dropped his staff and caught Blackwood's attack in one hand. The force of the blow caused Creek to slide backwards several inches, almost hitting Branch. Lightning sparked and coiled around Creek's torso and arms, and he struggled to control it. He thrust his other hand forward to shoot Blackwood's lightning back at him. Blackwood barely had time to put up a magical shield to protect himself. When the lightning left him, Creek gasped and fell to his knees. The rush of magic nearly sapped away all his energy. Branch saw Blackwood coming at him again, and he practically stomped onto Creek's back as he charged back into the fight. Creek ended up face-first into the tree bark.

"You're welcome." Creek muttered.

Branch didn't have very many attack spells mastered yet, but he already mastered some rudimentary defensive spells. He deflected each of Blackwood's attacks as he advanced. Blackwood backed up until he reached the smaller twigs of the tree branch. If he kept going, the thinner part of the limb would snap and he would fall.

Finally, Branch paused in his advance. He glared furiously at Blackwood. "Get. Out."

Blackwood scanned the area quickly, but Symphony already disappeared with Rosiepuff. He glared back at Branch. "You think you've stopped me?"

"I think that if you ever come back into Troll Grove—or Bergen Town, for that matter—I won't go so easy on you." Branch growled.

Blackwood whistled loudly. "Reaper! To me!"

The dark phoenix rigorously shook the Snack Pack off. The trolls managed to stretch out their hair and save themselves while Reaper flew over Branch and snatched Blackwood. The sorcerer took hold of Reaper's leg as the dark phoenix flew off. Branch watched him go and didn't relax until Blackwood and Reaper disappeared. He looked down to see the Snack Pack and Poppy gathering on the ground. Branch quickly joined them.

"Everyone okay?" Branch asked.

"We're good." Suki assured.

"Yeah, that bird was tough." Cooper panted a little. "But we're tougher!"

"Where's my grandma?" Branch asked worriedly.

Poppy put two fingers to her lips and whistled. "Rosie! Symphony! Coast is clear!"

Symphony flew down from the darker parts of the Troll Tree, landing before the gathered trolls. Rosie and Rosiepuff slid off the phoenix's back. Branch ran to his grandmother and hugged her tightly before checking her over for injuries.

"Branch, I'm fine." Rosiepuff reassured him. "I'm a little rattled, but I'm fine."

"What happened?" Poppy asked.

"That little creep was in my home." Rosiepuff growled. "I let my guard down for two seconds, and he snuck up on me."

"He was in your house?" Branch snarled. "Why that little—"

"Branch, calm down." Poppy said soothingly. "At least Symphony was alert and heard what happened."

"And you were there faster than a bolt of lightning!" Biggie cheered. The rest of the Snack Pack voiced their awe.

"And speaking of lightning." Rosie grinned as Creek joined them. She ran up and hugged him, almost knocking him over. "Creek, that was so cool! You caught the lightning and shot it right back at him! How did you do that?"

Creek still swayed from the rush of energy. "It's just energy manipulation. Something Cybil has been teaching me. That was my first time doing something so drastic. I didn't think it would work."

"It was amazing." Rosie breathed. Creek blushed fiercely at the compliment.

"I must agree." Rosiepuff nodded. "Well done, Creek."

"Yeah." Branch scoffed. "Well done almost getting yourself killed."

Creek found his staff and scooped it up. "I was only trying to protect Rosiepuff. I suppose I wasn't thinking things completely through."

"While we're on the subject," Branch said, stepping between Creek and Rosiepuff. "Why do you think any of this is your business?"

Creek sensed hostility in Branch's aura. "I beg your pardon?"

"I don't need your help to protect my family." Branch said. "I don't want you anywhere near my family."

"Branch." Poppy scolded.

"If it makes you feel any better, Branch, I only vowed to protect your grandmother." Creek said. "So I'll just let the rest of your family get eaten by Reaper next time he comes."

"You think I'm joking?" Branch growled.

"Do you think I'm not serious?" Creek countered. "I made a vow to protect Rosiepuff once we escaped Blackwood, and that's a vow I take _very_ seriously."

"I never asked you to protect my family." Branch said. "I don't need you to protect the ones I love."

"Right, because you did so well last time." Creek scoffed.

Branch suddenly smacked Creek across the face. "Branch!" Rosiepuff's voice sounded both scolding, but also surprised.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me about that day." Branch snarled.

Creek flexed his jaw. "I deserved that. I spoke out of turn, and I apologize. But don't think I'm going to stop trying to protect her." He nodded to Rosiepuff when he said "her."

"I don't want you to 'protect' her." Branch snapped. "I don't want you coming near my family. I don't want you in Troll Grove. You don't belong here, Creek. Not anymore."

"And who are you to decide that?" Creek demanded. "Why should my life be dictated by your grudge against me? Why do you think you can stop me from keeping my promise?"

"It is not your responsibility to keep my family safe." Branch argued.

"So you have to carry that burden alone?" Creek guessed. "You haven't changed a bit, have you? At least that's one thing I have over you."

"All right, enough!" Rosiepuff ordered, stepping between the boys. "You two are acting like children!" She turned to Creek. "You have a semi-valid excuse." She looked to Branch. "You, not so much."

"Let me make myself perfectly clear: I don't need you here, Creek." Branch said. "No one does."

"Branch, enough." Poppy said, her gaze both stern and worried. Rosie hadn't spoken a word, unable to respond to her father's harsh treatment.

Creek snorted. "I don't have to stand here and listen to this." He turned on his heel and marched off.

"Yeah, run! Like you always do, you coward!" Branch shouted after him. Creek paused, his grip tightening on his staff. But he inhaled deeply and kept walking.

"Branch, that was unkind and entirely uncalled for." Rosiepuff scolded.

"Tell me I'm wrong." Branch scoffed.

"He _has_ proven himself to be pretty sorry." Cooper finally piped up. The rest of the Snack Pack nodded in agreement. They, too, couldn't really respond from their shock at hearing Branch's unforgiving words.

"He was tortured by Blackwood for years." Rosie added. "He could've died."

 _Maybe he should've died._ Branch didn't dare say that. He went down on one knee to be more eye-level with Rosie. His gaze turned gentle. "Rosie, you and Grandma weren't there. You don't know Creek like I do." He gently tousled her hair. "You'll understand someday." He stood and started walking back towards the Troll Tree. "Grandma, come on. Let's get you home. Symphony and I will stand guard."

"I'll be right there." Rosiepuff turned to Poppy, Rosie, and the Snack Pack. "Just let him cool off. He's angry and scared. We can talk to him more in the morning."

"Uh, Grandma Rosiepuff?" Biggie piped up. "Not to be a downer, but Branch is starting to sound like…..well, uh….."

"He's starting to sound like his grey self." Smidge said.

"I know." Rosiepuff nodded slowly. She sighed. "Get some sleep, everyone."


	18. Creek's Journey

**A/N: I know I left you all with a pretty tense chapter. This next chapter is going to get heavy. There's a lot of emotional and mental turmoil. Enjoy!**

 **Kate669 – I'm glad you enjoy my writing! Thank you!**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Your question about why Branch hates Creek will be answered in later chapters! Also, that poem/song thing was awesome. A joy to read your reviews.**

 **Feanwen – Glint is just hostile because he knows the story of Creek's betrayal and doesn't think he can change. And as for why Rosiepuff chose Oaken instead of Peppy, that will be answered later in the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eighteen – Creek's Journey**

Cybil always woke with the sun. She enjoyed the early mornings when everything was quiet and she could meditate in peace. As usual, she rose from her simple bed-mat and changed into her dress. She went to the kitchen and made some tea in preparation for Creek to awaken and join her for breakfast.

To her surprise, Cybil found Creek already awake and meditating in the main room of the pod. He breathed calmly and hummed monotonously while sitting in his lotus position. Cybil decided to join him before making tea, and the two yogis sat face-to-face, humming in synchronization.

"Mother."

Cybil opened her eyes when Creek spoke, and she saw a troubled look in his eyes. "What is it?"

"I did not want to leave before I said goodbye and explained myself." Creek said.

"Leave?" Cybil repeated. "What do you mean?"

"I need to go. I need to get away from this place." Creek explained. "Even after I've regained my colors, I see them fading. This is all just too much for me."

Cybil frowned. "You're running away from your problems."

"No, I'm not!" Creek corrected hurriedly. "But you once told me that sometimes we need to step away from our problems in order to solve them. So I will. Rosiepuff is in good hands, and I will return as soon as I can."

Cybil's expression softened. "Very well. I understand." She stood and journeyed to the kitchen. She returned with a pouch of tea. "It's that oolong you like. Perhaps it will help."

Creek retrieved his backpack from near the door and put the tea inside. "Thank you."

"You remember that little place of meditation I showed you so long ago?" Cybil asked. "I suggest you go there. You are in for quite a journey."

"I was thinking of that place as well." Creek nodded. He strapped his quiver of arrows to his backpack, buckled his dagger around his hips, and grabbed his staff and bow. He accepted Cybil's hug. They stayed in their warm embrace for a long moment.

"I sense true happiness in your future, Creek." Cybil said as she escorted him to the door. "Good luck."

Creek bowed. _"Namaste."_ He turned and ran off before he could change his mind. Thanks to the quiet, Creek could slip away as dawn broke over the kingdom. When he reached the tree line of the forest, Creek glanced back towards Troll Grove and Bergen Town. He exhaled softly and turned to walk into the forest.

Settling into Creek's decision was not easy for Cybil. Still, she knew he needed this. She steadied herself and went back to making her tea. However, a knock at the door interrupted her, and Cybil answered with the small hope that Creek returned. She still smiled genuinely when she found Rosie on the other side of the door.

"Hello Cybil." Rosie bowed. "I'd like to talk to Creek. I want to apologize for my dad, because I know he won't apologize himself."

"You needn't worry about last night." Cybil assured. "Creek told me everything; and I'm afraid he's already gone."

"Gone?" Rosie repeated. "Gone where?"

"Creek has gone to a special place of ours." Cybil explained. "He's going on a journey of self-discovery, and will be back soon."

"But why does he have to leave for that?" Rosie asked, anxiousness in her tone. "He can do that here, can't he?"

"No, he can't." Cybil said. "At least, he believes he can't. But do not fret, Princess."

"Maybe I need to go after him." Rosie said. "Talk to him. Get him to stay."

"Why?" Cybil asked with a knowing grin. "What's so important?"

Rosie blushed. "Well, I just don't want to see him disappear. He's a good friend."

Cybil nodded, humming thoughtfully. "Give him time, and I promise you he will return."

Rosie sighed. "Okay. You let me know when he gets back?"

"Of course." Cybil nodded. She watched Rosie leave, humming in thought again.

Rosie walked along the branches of the Troll Tree, pondering Creek's sudden departure. She hoped Cybil was right, and Creek would be back. She couldn't stand the thought of Creek leaving forever after he finally started to become part of Troll Grove. He was her friend, and she didn't want him to feel alone anymore. Besides, she had things about him she needed to figure out, and that would be a lot easier if he were there with her.

Glancing upwards, Rosie changed direction and started climbing. She went past every branch of the Troll Tree until she reached the very top of the trunk, and then she climbed the nearest branch to the tip-top of the tree. She poked her head out of the foliage as the sun peeked over the horizon. Rosie looked all around her, as if she would spot a tiny dot of purple in the distance.

Rosie reached to her neck, where she still wore that locket Rosiepuff gave her. The teen looked to the sky. "Grandad Oaken? Grandad Oaken, I don't know what to do. I know you're here. I feel you watching over us. Maybe that's just to keep us safe from danger, but I could really use some advice. I want to help Creek. I feel strange when I'm around him. Well, actually, I feel calm and…happy…a different kind of happy. What does it mean?" She heard no answer save for a soft breeze on her face. "Please, Grandad Oaken. Guide me. Because I could really use some help here."

* * *

Poppy and Branch weren't surprised when Gristle asked them to come to the castle as soon as possible. They were _very_ surprised to hear Gristle request that Rosiepuff join them. After her scare from Blackwood's break-in last night, she wasn't too keen on going near one of the few creatures she feared the most. She only agreed to go after Peppy, Rosie, _and_ Cybil offered to join her.

Bridget answered the door, pushing a serving cart with her. She helped the trolls onto the cart and brought them to Gristle, who stood in the throne room and looked over papers laying on a table. When Bridget parked the cart next to the table, the trolls saw a map of Bergen Town and Troll Grove, schedules for the guards, among other things.

"Thanks for coming, Poppy and Branch." Gristle noticed the other trolls. "And company. Ms. Rosiepuff, thank you very much for joining us."

Rosiepuff didn't glare as fiercely as usual, but her facial expression alone showed how badly she did not want to be there. "What did you want to talk to us about?" Branch asked, hoping that taking the attention off Rosiepuff would help her relax.

"I had planned this for some time, but wasn't sure if I was overreacting." Gristle said. "Then I heard about that jerk Blackwood breaking into Troll Grove, and I knew I had to act. So I want to set up a guard around Troll Grove, especially near the Troll Tree."

"Really?" Poppy asked, surprised.

"We can't be taking this guy lightly." Gristle said. "Our kingdoms are one, which means the protection I require for my people extends to yours, Poppy."

"That really means a lot, King Gristle." Poppy said. "Thank you."

"Likewise, we're thinking of setting up a guard within the Troll Tree to make sure Blackwood can't sneak in again." Branch said. "I especially don't want my grandmother to be alone so she doesn't have to fight Blackwood by herself if he tries another sneak attack."

Gristle offered Rosiepuff a friendly smile. "I know you're still wary around us, Ms. Rosiepuff, but I want you to be confident that my guards are prepared to defend you and the trolls should Blackwood return."

Rosiepuff's expression had since morphed to one of legitimate surprise. She didn't really know how to respond now. She cleared her throat and tried the polite approach. "Well….thank you…"

"Anything for my friend's family." Gristle said, grinning at Branch.

"Likewise, you can count on us to be there in case Blackwood threatens you." Branch told Gristle.

"We very much appreciate that." Bridget said.

"Poppy, Branch, will you take a look at this schedule and map and tell me if it looks good?" Gristle requested. The two mentioned royals hopped over to the table.

Rosie grinned and lightly elbowed her great-grandmother. "Bergens aren't so bad after all, huh?"

Rosiepuff frowned and crossed her arms. "Don't get your hopes up."

"You have to admit this is very nice of King Gristle." Peppy said.

"It's nice to see a Bergen who has a mild comprehension of kindness." Rosiepuff said.

Peppy face-palmed. Rosie stared at Cybil with an "Are you kidding me?" kind of look. Cybil just shrugged and mouthed, "It's a start." Everyone perked up when they heard a baby crying.

"Oh, dear. That's Randy." Bridget moaned.

"He doesn't sound very happy." Rosie noted.

"He's having a bad day." Bridget explained before rushing to tend to her son.

"This morning, he had a pretty high fever." Gristle said. "He's been grumpy all day. We think he has a cold or the beginnings of the flu. The poor guy."

"Aww." Poppy cooed in pity. "Hope he gets better soon."

Rosiepuff's ears twitched when Randy let out another cry of discomfort. She glanced in direction of the cries and murmured something. "What was that?" Peppy asked.

"Nothing." Rosiepuff spoke up. "But…if you want to help him get through this quickly and eliminate the worst symptoms, he'll need green or chamomile tea. The best way to make a baby drink it is to make it with honey or sugar, and then chill it."

"That will help?" Gristle asked, hope and excitement in his tone.

"That's what I used whenever Branch had a cold." Rosiepuff said.

"I'll tell Bridget!" Gristle hurried away.

Rosiepuff glanced to Rosie, who had a snarky smirk on her lips. "Oh shut up."

* * *

The old Troll Village looked like a ghost town now. After years of being without residents, the plant life of the forest began to consume the village. The pods hanging from the trees had moss and dust on them. The shrubbery began to grow over the remnants of the party Poppy threw before the trolls moved back to Bergen Town. Bugs and hummingbirds started making homes out of the abandoned, empty pods.

Creek stood on a mushroom stage and looked out over his old home. He could hear the rhythmic pounding of the cowbell, and the panicked screams of the trolls. He shuddered and quickly moved on. If he knew another way to get to that special meditation place that didn't involve going through the old village, he would've taken it. Then again, it seemed almost liberating to revisit the old village. To accept what happened and take the step of moving on.

It took another day of travel to reach his destination. When he heard the sound of a waterfall, he picked up his pace and breathed a sigh of relief when he arrived. Soon after Peppy decided on a place for the trolls to live after escaping Bergen Town, Cybil left Creek in the care of a friend while she disappeared into the forest. She was gone for a month, worrying Creek to no end; but when she returned, she ecstatically insisted that Creek go on a trip with her to see what she found. This was their Place of Zen, as Cybil called it. A small waterfall tumbled into a pool, which fed into a creek that flowed towards the river. Rocks offered a trail from one end of the pool to the other, going right under the waterfall. There was no shelter besides the trees and a collection of large-capped mushrooms.

Creek began setting up camp. Cybil taught him to only take what he absolutely needed or could be safely disposed of in the forest. Every time they left the Place of Zen, they had to leave little to no trace that they ever stayed there. Creek set up a hammock under a mushroom to sleep in, and he created a small fire pit near his sleeping space. His backpack held a blanket and incense, along with food left over from his travels. The pool and berry bushes in the area would sustain him for however long this journey of self-discovery took.

 _Hopefully it doesn't take long._ Creek thought as he made a fire. _I can't stay away from Rosiepuff for too long, or Blackwood will make another move._ He took out a stick of incense from his bag and lit it on the fire. He stuck the incense handle into the ground and folded himself into a lotus position. The sandalwood scent completely coated the inside of his nose as he breathed. He hummed meditatively, trying to focus on peace instead of his sleepiness. Night long since settled over the forest, and Creek's official journey started tomorrow. He needed to be well-rested.

When he was properly at peace, Creek extinguished the incense and his fire. He crawled into his hammock and looked past the edge of the mushroom cap to stare at the stars. Creek fingered the Phoenix Tear Crystal. It seemed he often went back to that crystal when he needed comfort. The crystal had healing powers, and it seemed to emit a calming energy that helped Creek feel peaceful when he was most frazzled or upset.

The starlight was the last thing Creek saw before he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 _Creek hissed in pain, his fists clenched and his eyes squeezed shut. "Sorry." Rosiepuff said, patting the damp cloth against Creek's open wounds. "I know it stings a little, but I'm almost done."_

" _It's all right." Creek assured, grimacing again. "After being whipped for an hour, you become numb to it all."_

" _That's not necessarily a good thing." Rosiepuff pointed out._

 _Creek shrugged. "You think these will scar?"_

" _Of course they will." Rosiepuff scoffed. "Don't be silly."_

" _Great." Creek looked to the scratches on his arms. "These are going to look horrible."_

" _You really ought to get your priorities straight." Rosiepuff advised. "You're scarred, but at least you're alive. I'd rather be alive with scars on my body instead of being pristine and dead."_

* * *

Creek awoke when the sunlight hit his eyes, and he sat up and yawned. As he flipped himself out of his hammock, he looked down to the scars on his arms. He already knew what his back looked like. Before he stole the Phoenix Tear Crystal, Creek had no way of healing his torture wounds except simple bandages. Rosiepuff was right at the time; he was damaged and now imperfect, but at least he was alive.

 _Trolls like to style their hair. It's a form of expression._ Creek mused as he went into his morning yoga stretches. _Some trolls pay more attention than others. When did I start caring about my entire appearance? Scars aren't that bad, I suppose._ He glanced down to the marks on his arms again. _Except these are so horrible-looking. My skin used to be smooth and clean. No matter how hard I scrub, these will not go away._

"The body is only a shell."

Creek jumped, toppling over in the middle of his yoga pose. His head swiveled around until his eyes fell upon Cybil standing nearby.

"The true form of the troll lies within." Cybil said. "The body is simply a carrier." Cybil suddenly faded away like a fog, and she was gone.

Creek rubbed his eyes. "Maybe I didn't sleep as well as I thought." He decided yoga was done, and he moved on to his next meditation exercise: sitting below the waterfall. Though strange, Cybil explained the falls had an enchanting atmosphere about them. If a yogi can sit below the gently-falling water and meditate peacefully, then they can meditate just about anywhere and find harmony. It wasn't easy to center oneself when sitting under a cascade of freezing-cold water. Creek could attest to that, seeing how he couldn't do it for almost a full week.

Now, Creek didn't hesitate as he stepped across the stones and sat down dead-center under the waterfall. He shivered initially at the shock from the cold, and then folded his legs into a lotus position and started his meditation. The water pounded on his back and shoulders like a massage, and he could feel the liquid trickling over his scalp and snaking through the strands of hair. Creek stayed very quiet, his eyes shut, and he focused on finding his center. The sound of the waterfall crashing into the pool served as his meditation music, and he casually listened as he breathed smoothly.

"Creek."

The lavender troll's ear twitched, but he continued his meditation.

"Creek."

Surely that wasn't someone calling for him. Who would it be?

"Creek!"

"Poppy?" Creek gasped, opening his eyes. He jumped when he saw the darkness of night around him. Had he really been under that waterfall all day? If Cybil could lose track of time while meditating, Creek guessed he could too. But surely he didn't actually hear Poppy—

Wait, there it was again!

"Creek!" Poppy's adorable giggle came from the trees. "Creek! Come on!"

"Poppy!" Creek jumped to his feet and ran to the shore, darting into the trees where he heard Poppy's voice. "Poppy!"

"Over here, Creek!" Poppy's voice sounded from the right, and Creek quickly changed directions. He did a sort of zig-zag through the forest until he finally burst through some shrubbery and came to a clearing. Poppy sat with the rest of the Snack Pack, enjoying the evening with a picnic. When they looked towards Creek, they waved and beckoned him closer. Creek grinned widely and stepped forward….

….only for another troll to go directly through him as though he were a ghost. Creek did a perfect double-take, and he realized the other troll was in fact himself. Except he was older, not scarred, and without any signs of trauma from being Blackwood's prisoner. Creek looked around again, and he realized he stood beneath the trees back in the old Troll Village. The memories came rushing back. This was the Starlight Picnic Party, the celebration Poppy held for the first clear night of spring. After a full winter's worth of clouds and near-complete darkness, she wanted to celebrate being able to see the stars again. Creek stared at the memory as though watching through a window. He wanted to push through the glass and actually be there with his friends.

 _You think you belong with them?_

Creek spun around at the voice, but saw nothing.

 _You think you belong anywhere near them?_

The darkness grew heavier, consuming the area in black as though someone spilled ink onto a painting.

 _You're nothing. You're a traitor!_

"Shut up." Creek muttered, squeezing his eyes shut.

 _Traitor!_

The shadows creeped along the ground and threatened to overtake him.

 _TRAITOR!_

Creek gasped and his eyes flew open. He flinched and shut his eyes again at the bright light engulfing his vision. He recoiled so badly that he fell backwards and landed in the pool of water below the waterfall. Creek surface quickly, gasping and coughing. His eyes darted around in his panic. It was still daytime. He was under the waterfall. Everything he just saw and heard was a vision, a memory. That was all.

Shuddering, Creek pulled himself from the water and went to have lunch. He should've known some of his leftover guilt would come back to bite him during these meditation visits. He would always regret what he had done.

 _But I thought I forgave myself when I sang for Poppy._ Creek thought as he ate. _I mean, I still feel guilty, but haven't I been able to mostly move on? I'm not here to figure out that part of my life. That's done with._ Creek looked around. _So then why am I here? What else do I need to figure out?_

* * *

That night, Creek dreamed again. It was another memory; but, this time, Creek was actually part of it instead of watching it. In the memory, he and Poppy practiced a duet for music class. That was soon after he learned to play the flute. It was a happy memory, one that Creek enjoyed experiencing once again.

But something seemed different about Poppy. Her skin had a purplish tint to it, and she had more glitter freckles than normal. When Creek woke up, he wasn't sure what to make of the little changes in Poppy's appearance. He shrugged it off at first. Maybe he was just seeing things in his dreams. Today was another mediation-beneath-a-waterfall day. Perhaps his head would clear once he was under the falls.

Back under the waterfall Creek went. This time, he meditated peacefully until lunch, and decided to go again after he ate. He stepped across the rock path towards the falls, and he sat back in the spot he meditated in yesterday. He slipped under the waterfall and sighed in content. The water didn't feel that cold today. Creek sat down and leaned forward to let the water massage his back. Upon glancing at his reflection in the pool, Creek froze.

It was him, but different. Again, he looked older—about mid-twenties, to be exact—like the age he was before Chef found the village. His hair was a bit longer, and his skin was not blemished by scars. He looked like his old, perfect self before all the chaos of Trollstice and betraying the kingdom and becoming Blackwood's personal anger management punching dummy (Blackwood's words, not Creek's). Creek touched his face, and his reflection mimicked him. He had to be seeing things. But why? Was this another vision? Did he not sleep that well? Creek moved to a kneeling position and leaned closer to his reflection.

All of a sudden, Creek's reflection grabbed him by the neck and pulled him into the water. Creek found he couldn't breathe, so he definitely wasn't hallucinating. His reflection instantly turned to a dark shadow of a troll with glowing red eyes and white teeth glinting in a malicious grin. The shadow pushed Creek to the bottom of the pool and pinned him there. Creek struggled to break free, his lungs already burning. He was drowning. Bubbles of precious air floated to the surface. Creek felt himself growing weaker.

Then, a light shined from above, and the shadow disappeared. Creek groggily tried to swim to the surface. He saw someone extending a hand towards him, and he shot an arm forward to accept it. Someone hauled him onshore again, and Creek coughed and spit up water. He looked up to see who saved him, and his eyes widened.

It was Rosie.

Only this was, yet again, a ghost. Or perhaps it was another hallucination. Either way, Rosie and her smiling face disappeared like the Cheshire Cat. Creek shook his head to get rid of any other hallucinations. He was definitely soaking wet, which means he really did almost drown. But the shadow and Rosie were tricks of the mind. It all confused Creek to no end. To make matters worse, Creek felt an uncomfortable heat in his body, especially his face.

"Been out in the sun too long." He murmured, gently sliding into the pool to cool off.

* * *

For the next week, Creek's dreams and hallucinations grew scarier and stranger. He would have dreams of him and Poppy: sometimes they were memories, other times it was just them in a random (thankfully, happy) situation. But Poppy kept changing in little ways. In one dream, she had green hair instead of pink; one of her eyes changed from pink to icy blue; her clothes would change. Finally, Creek had a dream that he was sitting with Poppy, but—in the blink of an eye—she changed to Rosie. Even when his companion took Rosie's form, she still used Poppy's voice.

The scary dreams involved his perfect counterpart. The Creek who betrayed the trolls. His past self, who had manifested into a physical representation of his self-loathing. This Past Creek, as he called it, would constantly show him scenes of his betrayal to the trolls and remind him how horrible he was by causing them harm. He forced Creek to relive memories of Blackwood torturing him, and would claim that Creek deserved the pain. Worst of all, he mocked Creek's reconciling song to Poppy.

"How dare you sing a love song to her of all trolls?" Past Creek had sneered. "You know she loves someone else. Why are you trying to steal her away?"

Creek had wanted to argue with him (again) that he chose that song to best represent his feelings. Yes, maybe he harbored feelings for Poppy, but that wasn't the primary message in the song. That's what he wanted to say. He found out early on that trying to argue or reason with Past Creek was futile, and so he tried to ignore him instead. That didn't help either, because Past Creek could inexplicably push him around and cause him actual pain, despite the entire encounter being in a dream.

As if all that wasn't bad enough, Creek was getting sick. The uncomfortable warmth from before developed into a fever. When he tried to self-medicate with tea, it seemed to make things worse. He lost his appetite and had to force himself to drink tea and water to keep himself hydrated. He threw up a couple times. Even drinking the ginger tea he packed didn't help with that. He couldn't even meditate with how sick he felt.

 _None of this is helping me._ Creek moaned in pain as he lay on his side and curled into a ball. He had to lay his hammock out on the ground under the mushroom so he could lay flat and be shaded from the sun. He had been so hot and sweaty for the past couple days, so much that he stripped down to just his boxers and slept half-naked in the open air. The coolness of the night helped him sleep, but he would be miserable the next day regardless. He was pale and clammy and still very feverish. He had an entire kettle filled with cool water from the waterfall, and he drank several gulps. It did very little to help him. _I shouldn't have come alone._ Creek shivered, despite the sweat glistening on his brow. _Cybil should've come with me. I don't know what to do. I'm probably going to die out here._

* * *

Creek caught a lucky break that night when Cybil visited him in his dream.

"Something's happening to me." Creek said. "I'm sick with something and I need help."

"No, you don't." Cybil assured calmly. "You are not sick."

"Then what's wrong with me?" Creek asked desperately.

"You are going through a metamorphosis, my son." Cybil explained. "It is not a pleasant experience. But, when you come out of it, you will be the yogi you were meant to be. You will find yourself at last."

"It's horrible." Creek swallowed. "Please help me. I don't know if I can do this."

"But I know you can." Cybil said with a smile.

Cybil disappeared after that, and Creek awoke feeling marginally better than before. He still didn't have much energy, though. He rested under the shade of the mushroom all day. When he ran out of water in the kettle and finally couldn't stand the cotton-like dryness of his mouth, he pushed himself to his hands and knees and crawled over to the pool. He shakily lowered his cupped hand into the water and scooped up the cool liquid to his mouth. He coughed a few times. A familiar rumble sounded from above, and the rain of a summer storm began to fall. Creek shakily rose to his feet and started back to the safety and shelter of the mushroom. Whether it was the storm or his illness-induced hallucinations, the rain became thicker until it was like a curtain of water. He couldn't see his shelter or even the waterfall.

The water not only drenched Creek's hair and made it heavier, it also seemed to make his entire body sluggish. The droplets, though tiny, pushed him to his knees, and then to the ground.

It didn't take long for him to pass out.

* * *

When Creek "woke up," he found himself in a field of flowers. These flowers had stems thicker than him, and large petals that overlapped with each other and allowed no light to flow through. There seemed to be holes cut into the stems of the flowers, and lights shined from the holes. When Creek took a better look, he saw that each light was actually a scene from his past, playing like a show on TV. The memories ranged from his days as a young boy to just a few months ago and everything in-between. Happy moments, sad moments, everything that Creek could remember and things that only tickled at his psyche.

"You really think you've changed?" Past Creek had returned. He circled Creek like a predator. "It's all just a ruse. You'll betray them again. Because you're too afraid of Blackwood to fight against him."

Creek didn't answer. He stared at the ground numbly.

"That little bout of bravery before? That was nothing. You won't be able to face him in a real battle." Past Creek scoffed. "If Blackwood challenges you outright—when he threatens to kill you if you get in his way—you'll do whatever he says. You'll do anything to avoid dying. That's just a fact. You're a weak, sniveling little coward. You'll never be worth anything to anyone."

Creek's hands clenched into fists.

Past Creek continued to talk. Clearly, his words had an effect on Creek. "How can you possibly care about anyone except yourself? You never knew how to show your true emotions. You kept everything you felt bottled up inside and showed only what others wanted to see. You're a liar and a coward."

Creek squeezed his eyes shut. His shoulders shook.

"Aww, are we going to cry? Is the little baby going to cry?" Past Creek taunted. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"No." Creek opened his eyes, now settled in a glare he directed to Past Creek. "Believe me, I was scared before. But now, I'm just angry."

Past Creek scoffed. "You are—"

"Don't tell me what I am!" Creek shouted, swinging his fist towards Past Creek, who ducked out of the way. Creek kept coming, even when Past Creek frantically dodged his blows. "You want to know what I'm feeling right now? You want to know every feeling I'm keeping bottled up inside? Fine! I'm scared that I'll never be fully accepted by the trolls! I'm afraid of Branch banishing me out of pure hatred! I'm upset that Blackwood keeps coming back, even after Rosiepuff and I escaped! I feel helpless because we're not as free as I thought we were! I'm worried about what Blackwood will do to us! I'm still mildly afraid of the Bergens! I'm sad that I lost Poppy's love. I'm depressed by the fact that I lost a wonderful connection I had with a troll whose heart and soul are beautiful! But you know what? Above all else, I am _angry!_ I'm frustrated with myself every time I feel that self-loathing! Because I thought I had moved past it! I'm angry at Blackwood for threatening the people I care about! I'm angry at Branch because he won't give me a chance! I'm angry at _you_ for trying to pull me back into the hole I dug for myself! I've spent months clawing my way out, and _I won't let you drag me back in!"_

Creek's fist finally connected with Past Creek's eye. To his surprise, the eye and skin around it shattered like glass. Past Creek still stood, though he seemed weaker, and a mirror manifested around him. Creek kept punching his reflection, cracking the mirror and sending pieces of glass flying.

"Are you happy now?" Creek demanded. "Are you happy that I'm showing all those emotions I kept to myself?! I admit it! I always hid my negative emotions because I thought I looked ugly when I showed them! I couldn't show them to anyone except my mother and Poppy! But I'm not going to do that anymore! I'm not afraid to show my emotions and tell people what I'm feeling! Does that make you happy? Huh? _Does it?!"_

With one final, double-fisted punch, Creek completely demolished the mirror and Past Creek with it. He panted heavily, staring at the emptiness left from destroying the mirror. That felt good. That felt _really_ good. It was cathartic; and while it left Creek physically exhausted, he still grinned from ear to ear.

Then, the emptiness faded away to reveal a colorful, familiar forest. Creek stepped through the mirror and returned to the Troll Tree in Troll Grove. It was the Welcome Back Party, and the scene depicted him singing his apology to Poppy. The scene froze, as though someone pressed the "pause" button, and Creek walked up to the still form of Poppy.

For the first time, Creek saw Poppy and only saw her. He didn't see a troll who was royalty or a troll he was madly in love with. He just saw Poppy, and it made him smile. "Poppy, you are my very best friend. I always knew I could trust you, and you trusted me. I've told you things I didn't even tell Cybil. You are my confidant, my support, my friend." He let out a shuddering exhale. "And that's all I need from you. The old me was in love with you. If I want to truly change and move on with my life, I need to let go of that love I had for you once upon a time. But no matter what happens, you will _always_ be my best friend, and I can't thank you enough for that."

Creek inhaled slowly, and exhaled calmly. As he did, the trolls around him faded away like ghosts. Still smiling, Creek sighed again as relief overwhelmed him.

"Hey Creek!"

Spinning around, Creek saw a brighter scene through the mirror he just came through. Rosie stood on the other side of the mirror. She grinned broadly and offered her hand.

"Come on!" Rosie urged. "You're one of us, aren't you?"

Creek briefly felt the need to deny it out of politeness. Instead, he reached forward and accepted Rosie's hand. She pulled him through the mirror…

…and Creek woke up.

He lay on his back, staring up at the partly cloudy sky. The storm had since passed. Creek felt the damp grass below him and he could almost feel the air going in and out of his lungs as he breathed. Slowly, he sat up. He didn't feel feverish anymore. In fact, he felt a little cold. Creek shifted to his knees, and then stood. He hesitantly made his way to the pool of water and looked at his reflection.

A sixteen-year-old, scarred lavender troll stared back, a new light in his eyes and his colors brighter.

Creek burst out laughing, and he jumped forward to do a perfect cannonball into the water. He cheered when he resurfaced, splashing and diving and relishing in his new joy. When he tired himself out, he lay on his back and just floated. The clouds began to clear from the skies: a sign that things were looking up. Creek pulled himself from the water and used his blanket to dry off. He pulled on his pants again.

As he pulled out some twine to hang up his blanket to dry, his backpack tipped over and some of the arrows from his quiver fell out. Creek forgot all about the weapons he brought with him. He lifted up the bow and notched an arrow into it. He pulled back the bowstring and took aim at a mushroom near the waterfall. Biting his tongue in concentration, Creek released the arrow. Unfortunately, the arrow went past the mushroom, ricocheted off the rocks, and stuck in the mushroom behind Creek after he ducked to avoid the projectile hitting his head.

Creek laughed. "Looks like I need to practice. Can't protect the ones I love if I can't fight."


	19. Grandmother's Intuition

**A/N: Okay, time to head back to the Troll Tree after that rather confusing chapter! :D BTW, anyone waiting patiently for** _ **Into the Psyche**_ **updates, I am almost done with the next chapter!**

 **Jpbake – Yeah, the hallucinations were supposed to be confusing. So if you were confused, then I did my job right! Yay! :D**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Nonetheless, I enjoyed that review!**

 **Fun fact on the waterfall meditation Creek did in the last chapter: based off a real thing! It's based off the Shinto practice of** _ **misogi.**_ **Look it up! It's very cool.**

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen – Grandmother's Intuition**

 _TWO MONTHS LATER_

Rosie hadn't been this anxious since her dream-speaking with Creek. _This better not be a new habit, him making me anxious._ She thought to herself, glancing in the direction of the forest.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?" Rosie totally forgot about her walk with her father through Troll Grove.

"Were you listening to me?" Branch asked his daughter.

"Of course!" Rosie lied. "You were asking me about the bunker I made schematics for in case of severe weather or natural disasters."

Branch laughed. "That's my girl. But, no. I was asking your opinion on what we should have for dinner tonight. We're all coming together as a family: you, me, Mom, Grandma, and Grandad Peppy. Even Uncle Cooper is coming." Branch's smile morphed to a worried frown. "You're distracted. What's up?"

"It's nothing." Rosie shrugged.

Branch's frown didn't disappear. "Are you worried about the pod? We're at six months now, and it's growing nicely."

"Mom's been keeping me updated. I can feel the baby moving around in there." Rosie sighed. "I'm really just worried about Creek."

Branch glared at the ground. "I don't think Creek needs you to worry about him."

"Well I'm going to worry until he gets back." Rosie said. "I'm just afraid he'll never come back."

 _Good riddance._ Branch kept that to himself. Rosie reacted the same way Poppy and Rosiepuff did when he complained about Creek. "You just have to get your mind off it. How about you help me help Grandma clean her house?"

"I thought she did that last month." Rosie whined a little as Branch steered her towards Rosiepuff's home.

"She does a full scouring of her house every month." Branch chuckled. "I had to help her when I was a boy, and now you're going to be a good great-granddaughter and help her too."

"Okay." Rosie intoned with an eye roll. She didn't really like to clean. At least she could sing to help pass the time.

When they reached Rosiepuff's pod home, she was happy for their help and instructed Rosie to dust everything. Rosie alternated between swishing the feather duster across surfaces and using it as a microphone as she sang. She still did her job right. Every time she came to a surface that had something on it—pictures frames, lamps, books, etc.—Rosie lifted the object, dusted the entire area underneath it, and then dusted the object itself. She especially had a bit of work to do on Rosiepuff's vanity, carefully moving her jewelry box in case the trinkets inside shifted and became disorganized.

As she pushed the jewelry box back into place, Rosie heard a faint _click_ , and one of the drawers previously thought to be fake popped open. Rosie curiously pulled the drawer farther open and saw a folded piece of paper and a glass vial inside. The paper looked very old. The vial had a few drops of blue liquid near the bottom of the glass container. Rosie lifted up the vial and uncorked it. She took a sniff and discovered she couldn't identify the liquid.

 _Maybe it's a kind of medicine? Or a special flavor for Grandma's recipes._ Rosie walked to the bathroom and added a few drops of water to the vial so she could drink the entire contents. She grimaced. "Gross!" She gagged as she recorked the vial and returned it to the jewelry box. _Whatever flavor that was, I hope Grandma gets a fresh batch next time. That stuff must've gone stale._

Rosie heard a round of frantic pounding on the door of the pod, and she arrived at the living room just as Brach answered the door. Poppy stood on the other side, panting heavily like a dog who had been out in the sun too long.

"I thought…...you'd…...be…...in here…." Poppy gulped down air so fast she wheezed.

"Take it easy, Poppy." Branch soothed, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

"What's wrong?" Rosiepuff asked.

Poppy swallowed and caught back some of her breath. "Something happened at the castle. I don't know what, but Chad and Todd said Gristle and Bridget are in trouble!"

Branch looked back to his daughter and grandmother in confusion, and then gestured for them to follow him as he joined Poppy. The pink troll guided them to the edge of Troll Grove, where Chad and Todd waited anxiously for them. The Bergen guards hardly paused for formalities as they scooped up the little family and whisked them away. Rosie held her grandmother both to hang on and assure Rosiepuff everything would be all right.

When they arrived at King Gristle's castle, however, things seemed far from all right. The entire castle staff gathered around the king and queen's bedroom, all of them murmuring to each other nervously and awaiting any orders thrown at them. The crowd parted for Chad and Todd, who brought Branch, Poppy, Rosie, and Rosiepuff right inside. Gristle stood by the fireplace, shouting in anger and distress at a Bergen doctor. Bridget's voice sounded from the door across the room, which led to Randy's sleeping quarters. Randy himself whined and cried pitifully, coughing between his sobs of suffering.

"Gristle!" Branch called. Chad and Todd deposited the royal family onto a small table with a chess board resting on it. Then the guards backed out of the room in a haste.

"What's the matter?" Rosie asked Gristle worriedly.

"It's Randy." Gristle's eyes were redder than normal. He had been crying recently. "He had such a terrible fever this morning, so we tried to bring it down with ice and water. Next thing we know, he's coughing and throwing up. We can't get him to eat anything. He keeps throwing up what he drinks. And he's breathing funny."

"I've done a complete analysis, ran a few tests, and I can't figure out what's wrong with the poor prince." The Bergen doctor said. "If we don't figure it out soon, I can't guarantee the baby will make it to tomorrow."

Gristle swallowed and clenched his fists. _That must be why he was crying._ Poppy guessed. "You're sure it's not just another bad day of sickness?"

"He seems to have the flu, but even the medicine I gave him isn't doing anything." The Bergen doctor said.

"Maybe he just needs to sleep it off." Rosie shrugged. "Maybe he just ate something bad."

"Or maybe he's having an allergic reaction to the medicine?" Branch suggested.

"He's never had a reaction before." Gristle protested.

While Gristle, the Bergen doctor, and the royal troll family discussed, Rosiepuff stepped back and glanced towards the door to Randy's room. Those coughs and cries sounded oddly familiar. She glanced back to the others, and then hopped down from the table and snuck over to Randy's room. The door was propped open a little, and Rosiepuff hesitantly pushed her way inside. She saw Bridget standing by Randy's bassinette, rocking him slowly and murmuring words of comfort.

Bridget heard the door creak open, and she did a double-take. "Oh. Hi there, Mrs. Branch's grandma."

"Rosiepuff." The elderly troll corrected. She glanced to Randy. "He doesn't sound good."

Bridget nodded sadly. "He's so sick. I don't know what's wrong this time. He was doing so well, too."

Rosiepuff bit her bottom lip. "Can I…um…well….." She cleared her throat. "May I take a look?"

Bridget blinked in surprise, but nodded. She stepped over to Rosiepuff and lowered her hand. Rosiepuff recoiled with a sharp inhale. "It's okay." Bridget assured. "I'll be very gentle."

Emotions waged war in Rosiepuff. Her fear of the Bergens told her to run. Motherly instinct ordered her to check on the complaining baby in the cradle. She had a hard time deciding if Bridget was genuine in her words. Finally, Rosiepuff exhaled to calm herself and she stepped onto Bridget's palm. The Bergen queen slowly raised Rosiepuff up and brought her to the edge of Randy's bassinette. Rosiepuff felt another twinge of fear being so close to the baby. But that motherly instinct came back when she saw the state of the young prince. Randy lay half-limply, apparently exhausted from his sickness. He coughed and whined. His skin was pale and he was sweaty. He was so hot that he dressed only in his diaper.

Rosiepuff listened closely to Randy's breathing, especially his coughs. Her eyebrows knit together in concentration. To Bridget's surprise, Rosiepuff hopped off her palm and landed softly on Randy's chest. The baby whined a little.

"Easy, little prince." Rosiepuff soothed. "I'm just taking a listen." When Randy calmed again, Rosiepuff knelt down and put her ear just below Randy's chest. She listened closely to his breathing and his coughs. Her eyes widened, and she hopped up onto the edge of the cradle and then leaped to the floor. Bridget followed her to the door and then into the other room, where everyone else still talked and argued over the prince.

"What's wrong?" Bridget asked as she lifted Rosiepuff up to be a little higher.

Rosiepuff didn't answer. "Hey!" She shouted to get everyone's attention. Nobody listened to her. "Hey!" She put two fingers to her lips and whistled. Everyone finally stopped talking and whipped around to her. "Your baby does not have a cold or the flu." Rosiepuff said. "He has pneumonia."

Gristle's eyes widened. "No…no, that can't be….."

"How do you know?" Rosie asked.

"I heard it in his lungs as he breathed and coughed." Rosiepuff explained. "It's exactly the same way Branch breathed and coughed when he had pneumonia as a baby."

"I had pneumonia?" Branch blinked in surprised.

"How did you not notice this?!" Gristle demanded to the Bergen doctor.

The doctor sighed. "I did recognize the symptoms as similar to pneumonia, but I wanted to run a few more tests. I didn't want it to be pneumonia."

Gristle's fists clenched. He looked overwhelmed with grief and anger. "Get out." The Bergen doctor bowed to the king and slunk away in shame.

"What's so bad about pneumonia?" Poppy asked. "Brach lived through it."

"Pneumonia kills Bergens. We don't have a cure for it." Gristle leaned against the table. "He's going to die….my son's going to die….." The gravity of the situation settled over the room. No one knew what to do or say.

"Wait." Rosiepuff spoke up, drawing attention to her again. "There may be something we can do."

"What?" Bridget asked hopefully.

"A medicine I gave to Branch when he was sick with this." Rosiepuff explained. "It's a natural herb remedy Cybil made that saved his life."

"Cybil's out collecting herbs in the forest." Branch said. "The sooner we get this medicine to Randy, the better. Grandma, tell me you remember this remedy."

"I know it by heart." Rosiepuff nodded. "But I don't know what it will do to a Bergen. It may not work at all."

"I'm willing to try anything." Gristle said. Bridget nodded in agreement.

"I need something to write with." Rosiepuff said as Bridget deposited her onto the table. "I'm going to make a list of things I need as soon as possible."

"Guards!" Gristle shouted as Bridget brought Rosiepuff a piece of paper, a quill, and some ink. Chad, Todd, and a couple other guards entered the room. "This troll here is in charge." Gristle said, pointing to Rosiepuff. "Get her anything she needs. She's going to save my son."

Rosiepuff finished the list and pushed it towards Chad. "I put down the amount for each ingredient. Get no less than that for each one. Hurry!" The guards saluted to Rosiepuff and ran off. "I'll need a small pot of water, a spoon to stir it, a jar with a tight-sealed lid, a mesh colander, and a larger pot of ice water. We'll use the fireplace as a cooking space." Gristle jogged out to the hallway to relay the order. Rosiepuff looked to Bridget. "What's Randy's favorite sweet drink?"

"Uh, chocolate milk." Bridget said.

"Perfect." Rosiepuff said. "Make him about half a bottle of it. Extra chocolate. He'll need it."

"Right!" Bridget sprinted to the kitchen.

"Branch, summon Symphony." Rosiepuff suggested. "We'll add a few of her tears and see if that helps."

"You think it will?" Branch asked hopefully.

"I don't know for sure." Rosiepuff admitted. "Phoenix tears heal injuries, mostly. I don't know if they cure sicknesses. But it can't hurt Randy if we try it." Branch nodded in agreement and hurried to the window. Symphony had keen hearing; she would hear him call.

"Will this work?" Poppy asked Rosiepuff.

"I have no idea." Rosiepuff said. "But if the Bergens don't have a cure, then we can't make him any sicker than he already is. At least we're trying."

* * *

Gristle made a fire in the fireplace and set up the small pot so it would boil over the coals and embers. He set up a stool near the pot and left Rosiepuff to work. He stood by only to do what she said. Bridget went back to comforting Randy as the baby started to fuss some more. When the water started boiling, Rosiepuff gave her instructions to Gristle.

"Grate some ginger into the bowl and mash it with the garlic." She said. "Add those to the water and squeeze all the juice from that lemon into the pot too." Gristle did as he was told without complaint or questions. Rosiepuff stirred the pot's contents. The smell wasn't too great, and it made her eyes water a little. "Now mince that Swamp Root as best you can and toss it in. After that, take the petals and thorns off three of those Wrinkly Prickly Flowers and just throw them all in."

Gristle went straight to work. The Swamp Root was easy enough. The Wrinkly Prickly Flowers, however, poked painfully at his fingers. The flowers were so named due to their naturally wrinkled petals and thorn-ridden stems. The thorns were also mildly poisonous: irritating to a Bergen, but potentially deadly to a troll. However, as Cybil discovered, they had remarkable healing properties when properly harnessed.

Rosiepuff let the mixture of strange ingredients boil for about twenty minutes to properly steep the medicine. The smell of garlic and ginger became overpowered by the lemon juice and flower petals. Once steeped, Rosiepuff instructed Gristle to pour the mixture through the colander and into the jar. Then Gristle screwed the lid on tightly and put it into the pot of ice water.

"We can't mix a hot liquid with milk, or else the milk will curdle." Rosiepuff explained. "Just give it a minute to cool off."

"The bottle's ready." Bridget announced, holding up the half-filled baby bottle of chocolate milk.

"Good." Rosiepuff nodded. "Now, this is a remedy Cybil made herself. The Wrinkly Prickly Flowers, when prepared properly, aid the immune system to fight sickness. The Swamp Root will help him sleep. The garlic and lemon juice relieve cold symptoms commonly seen in pneumonia. The ginger will keep him from vomiting long enough for the medicine to take effect. Now, after about an hour, the medicine will start to work. He's going to be very, very sick for the next couple hours, but that is normal."

"How is that normal?" Bridget asked.

"It means the medicine is working." Rosiepuff explained. "His fever will get higher. That means his body is working harder to fight the infection. He's going to throw up a few times, and that's just the medicine helping his body eject toxins. You also may have to change his diaper a few times. After he's done with all that, he's going to sleep for at least twelve hours. Only when he wakes up will you know if it worked."

"And…will it work?" Gristle asked hopefully.

Rosiepuff sighed. "I just don't know how Bergens react to certain medicine, especially herbal remedies. But if your son is going to die regardless, what else do you have to lose by not trying?"

Gristle and Bridget shared a look, and nodded in agreement. When the medicine cooled off enough, Gristle removed the jar from the pot and poured the now-cool liquid into Randy's baby bottle. "Is this enough?"

"Yes, that's perfect." Rosiepuff said. "It's important to make it half medicine, half sweetness, or else it will be harder for him to drink it. Babies don't need as much of the medicine as adults, and babies tend to refuse things that taste bad. Bridget, put the lid on that bottle and give it a good shake. Make sure it's all mixed together well. Branch, add Symphony's tears when she's done."

By the time Bridget finished mixing the drink, it was bubbly and almost frothy. Branch added the tears he collected from Symphony, and Bridget put the nipple over the top of the bottle. "So now I just feed it to him, right?" Bridget asked.

"Hopefully, the chocolate will hide the medicine taste." Rosiepuff said. "Don't let him guzzle it, but make him drink the entire bottle."

Bridget nodded in understanding. "Thank you." She hurried off to Randy's room.

"Truly, we can't thank you enough." Gristle told Rosiepuff.

"Don't thank me yet." Rosiepuff said. "I don't want to promise that this will work in case it doesn't."

"But you tried. You didn't let us give up when you knew there was another option." Gristle said with a smile. "So, thank you." He bowed to Rosiepuff respectfully and then went to his wife to help with Randy.

"Grandma, did I really have pneumonia when I was a kid?" Branch asked.

"You just turned a year old." Rosiepuff confirmed. "We almost lost you. You didn't react well to the medicine from Dr. Ringo, Dr. Plum's father, and he said you weren't going to make it." She sighed. "It made me angry to hear that I couldn't do anything for you except help you die peacefully. Well, I wasn't about to let that happen. Ringo never agreed with Cybil's methods of healing: her herbal and natural remedies, the meditation, or even the incense. But I trusted Cybil, and I had to try something. So, I took you to Cybil, and she taught me her remedy for pneumonia. The next morning, it was like you weren't ever sick. I owe Cybil much for saving you."

"I hope it works for Randy." Rosie said. "Poor little guy."

"Why don't you and Rosiepuff head home?" Poppy suggested. "We'll stay here in case Gristle and Bridget need help."

"No, I think I should stay." Rosiepuff said hesitantly. "Just in case they have questions, you know?"

"I don't want you to feel like you're forced to stay here." Branch said. "You've done enough."

"It's all right." Rosiepuff sounded surer now. "I want to stay. Just in case." She glanced to Randy's room. "I have to see if he makes it."

* * *

Needless to say, it was the longest evening/night of their entire lives. Randy was sicker than ever that night. He fussed and complained the entire time he threw up, and he threw up three times. His fever got dangerously high, but then cooled off after he threw up for the third time. When he finally fell asleep, he slept heavily. Two people were awake at all times to watch his breathing and monitor his temperature. Gristle and Bridget alternated by the hour, and one of the trolls would be with them. Randy did nothing but sleep, coughing a few times. It made the patrol time nerve-wracking, especially for his parents. Rosie did her best to stay awake as long as possible, but her father soon took over and let her sleep.

When morning came and Randy still did not awaken, Gristle ordered one of the servants to bring them breakfast in the bedroom. Poppy graciously insisted that she eat in Randy's room so she could keep an eye on him while the others ate.

"This is nerve-wracking." Rosie said. Like everyone else, she hardly ate a thing.

"He slept all night. That has to be long enough to sleep off the sickness, right?" Gristle looked mostly to Rosiepuff when he asked.

"In theory, yes." Rosiepuff said. "Branch slept an entire afternoon, through the night, until about midmorning. Almost a full day."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take." Bridget moaned anxiously.

"Just be patient." Branch assured. "Keep an ear out for Poppy. Of course, she can shout so loud it's hard to _not_ hear—"

" _BRIDGET! GRISTLE!"_ Poppy screamed from the other room. _"COME QUICK!"_

The Bergen royals nearly fell out of their chairs as they dashed to Randy's room. Branch, Rosiepuff, and Rosie ran after them. They burst into the baby's room and saw Poppy standing on the edge of Randy's bassinette. She had tears in her eyes, her hands over her mouth.

"What is it?" Gristle asked worriedly.

Poppy lowered her hands to reveal her wide smile. "He's awake. And I think his fever broke."

Everyone gathered around the cradle. Randy fussed and whined, reaching for his parents. "Randy, my baby." Bridget sighed in relief, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Gristle picked up the baby and cradled him close. "He's good as new. I think he's just hungry."

"Give him water to start off." Rosiepuff advised. "His stomach took a beating from throwing up so much."

"I'll go get him a bottle." Bridget offered.

"Get the doctor, too!" Gristle called after her as she left. "I want to make sure he doesn't have any leftover symptoms."

"He doesn't look like he's sick anymore." Rosie noted. "Except maybe some sniffles. He doesn't look so pale."

"I think he's going to be okay." Poppy said.

Gristle grinned, teary-eyed, at Rosiepuff. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Rosiepuff looked back and forth between Gristle and baby Randy. She smiled a little. "Actually, I think I understand perfectly."


	20. Unconditionally

**A/N: This is the chapter I've been waiting to write for a long time! Enjoy!**

 **Anyone else celebrate Broppy Day? I think I listened to "September" like a hundred times. Also watched that end credits scene a dozen times. Watching Branch and Poppy dance is so cute!**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty – Unconditionally**

Randy survived not only throughout the day, but also the following night. It seemed the medicine did its work and he would be all right. Gristle and Bridget thanked Rosiepuff a thousand times before she left with the royal troll family. Branch was happy to see Rosiepuff a little more relaxed around the Bergens as they made their way home.

After checking in on a very tired baby Randy, Rosie invited Bliss to take a walk with her in the forest. Bliss sighed in relief when she heard Rosie's report that Randy was doing better.

"I'm so glad he's okay." Bliss said. "Everyone would be sad if he had died."

"I'm just glad Grandma knew that medicine recipe." Rosie said. "She seems to be doing better with the Bergens."

"That's good news." Bliss mused. "Maybe she'll be more inclined to have tea with King Gristle and Queen Bridget one of these days."

"Yeah." Rosie nodded. She and Bliss climbed to a high tree branch to rest and stare at the forest. Rosie looked around, scanning the trees.

Bliss noticed the searching gaze in Rosie's eyes, and she smirked. "Whatcha lookin' for?"

"Nothing." Rosie shrugged. "Nothing at all. Just taking in the scenery."

Bliss raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? You sure you're not looking for someone? Maybe a certain troll?"

Rosie's cheeks turned a few shades darker as she blushed. "Well, I mean, I don't think Dad is out flying right now."

"Oh, I'm not talking about your dad." Bliss teased. "I'm talking about a sixteen-year-old troll who has had your attention for quite some time."

Rosie sighed. "Okay, fine. I'm looking for Creek. He's been gone for over two months. He should be back by now."

"Rosie, why are you so worried about him?" Bliss asked. "I think he can handle himself out here."

"I guess it's just because I miss him." Rosie shrugged. "I want to see him again. Because I miss him."

"Why do you miss him?" Bliss asked with a knowing smile.

Rosie's blush consumed her entire face now. "Because he's nice and kind and he's a friend and he's handsome and—" She slapped her hands over her mouth when she realized what she just said.

"I knew it!" Bliss laughed triumphantly. "You're in love with Creek! I knew it!"

"I am _not_ in love with Creek!" Rosie snapped.

"You so are!" Bliss began to sing playfully. _"Creek and Rosie high up in a tree—"_

"Don't you dare finish that song." Rosie growled.

"Come on, admit it!" Bliss shoved her friend playfully. "I think you guys are a good match, really."

Rosie tried to hide her blushing face behind her hat. "Don't tell my parents. Or my grandparents. They'll never let me live it down."

"I won't." Bliss giggled. "But you should know that _I_ won't let you live it down either."

Rosie rolled her eyes and fitted her hat back on her head. She stared off into space. _I know I keep denying it, but it just feels like I'm kidding myself. Why?_ She wished her thoughts weren't so chaotic. Since she already thought about Creek, she remembered a meditation technique he taught her where she just sits quietly and listens to the sounds around her.

Except when she did, Rosie discovered she heard nothing. There wasn't even a breeze. Rosie looked around again. "Do you hear anything?"

Bliss listened for a moment. "Nope. Pretty quiet, for once."

"Yeah, that's what worries me." Rosie said. "Forests are not quiet. There's always some kind of sound. The only time it's ever so quiet is when….."

Bliss didn't like the concentrated and mildly panicked look on Rosie's face. "What? When is the forest so quiet?"

"When there's danger. Animals, especially prey animals, will stay quiet and try to blend in with their surroundings to avoid danger." Rosie's eyes widened. "We have to get back to Troll Grove. Now!"

Bliss knew better than to argue with Rosie about things regarding the forest. The girls began sprinting through the forest and back towards home. They suddenly felt a sense of impending danger, and it made them move faster. A few small birds flew from the trees as fast as they could. Bliss suddenly tripped and landed face-first into the dirt. Rosie skidded to a halt and ran back to her.

A dark shadow passed over them, and the girls looked up with terror in their eyes.

"It's Reaper!" Rosie gasped.

"Run!" Bliss screamed. The girls took off again. They heard Reaper screech as the dark phoenix swooped down towards them. Rosie pulled Bliss to the ground, and Reaper's talons swished through the tips of her hair. The girls jumped to their feet and kept running. But Reaper burst from the foliage above and grabbed them both. The dark phoenix flew high above the trees.

"I hope he doesn't let go." Rosie gulped.

"Where is he taking us?" Bliss asked.

"I don't know. Back to the Western Woods?" Rosie guessed. She was soon proven wrong when Reaper dived down into a clearing. The dark phoenix promptly dropped the girls onto the ground, landed, and picked them up in his beak to throw them into a cage.

"Good bird, Reaper." Blackwood said, sipping tea out of a fancy cup. A teapot sat on the log next to him.

Rosie rattled the cage door. "Let us out of here right now!"

"Let me guess: by order of the princess?" Blackwood mocked.

"Yeah, order of the princess who will knock your block off if you don't do what she says!" Rosie sassed.

"Rosie, I don't think it's smart to tease him." Bliss whispered to her. "We are the ones in a cage."

"Don't worry. It won't be for long." Blackwood assured. "Once your grandmother gets here, I'll have no use for you anymore."

"That doesn't make me feel better." Bliss said. Blackwood only shrugged.

"Grandma won't come after me because she doesn't even know I'm out here!" Rosie protested. "Nobody does."

"True, but you ventured out into the woods before, yes?" Blackwood guessed. "And someone must've seen you come out here. Sooner or later, someone will come looking for you."

"Say they don't?" Rosie challenged. "You're kind of way out of the way. What if nobody comes?"

"You are under the unfortunately incorrect assumption that I'll just let you go if this plan doesn't work." Blackwood said. "If you are right, and nobody finds you—which I doubt—then I will just dispose of you right here. Besides, Reaper likes the taste of troll."

Rosie and Bliss glanced to the dark phoenix, who eyed them hungrily. Bliss ducked behind Rosie for protection. Rosie tried to stand strong and look brave. Inside, she knew her family was in trouble. Even if Rosiepuff didn't leave Troll Grove, Branch and Poppy would comb the forest a hundred times over to find her.

* * *

Peppy long since retired as the official leader of the trolls; but he was still a king and a wise ruler, so Poppy often liked to have him around to help with her errands around the kingdom. It could hardly be called "retirement" with Peppy running around doing kingly things. He discovered early on, though, that he didn't know what else to do except be a king. Besides, working with his daughter was one of his favorite things to do.

As they walked through the kingdom, however, Peppy noticed Poppy didn't chat as she normally did. Simple answers came in response to his questions, whereas Poppy would go on an entire tangent that often veered off-course. She kept swiveling her head this way and that, searching the trolls around her.

It soon clicked in Peppy's head. "You're looking for Creek, aren't you?"

Poppy rubbed the back of her head. "Is it obvious?"

"Not as much as it is for Rosie." Peppy said. "I'll admit it feels strange to not see him around here. I do hope he returns soon."

"He's been gone for over two months, Dad." Poppy protested. "I'm getting worried."

"If Cybil isn't worried, I don't think we should be either." Peppy said. "She told me the other day that she predicts he will be home soon."

"Good." Poppy sighed in relief. She smiled a little. "It's good to have Creek back. It may sound weird, but I'm glad to have my friend Creek back."

"That makes perfect sense." Peppy assured. "Creek always was a good friend. But the day you declared you would make Branch happy and colorful again, I knew you two would fall in love."

"You did not." Poppy rolled her eyes.

"Did too." Peppy affirmed. "You should've seen Branch when you were born. He came by the royal pod every day to say 'hello' to you. The days I left you in Rosiepuff's care, he spent every minute with you."

Poppy blushed. It _was_ rather cute that Branch had such a hardcore childhood crush on her, which later developed into their bond of love as adults. Poppy glanced around, hoping she would see her beloved. Alas, he was out of sight, off who-knows-where worried about who-knows-what. "I'm concerned about Branch too. This mess with Blackwood and even just having Creek around is stressing him out."

"Yes, I noticed." Peppy sighed. "Blackwood is threatening to take away the only family he ever knew, the only family he feels he has left. Remember, he was raised primarily by Rosiepuff, and losing her caused him to lose his colors. As for this issue with Creek….."

"I think that's my fault." Poppy said.

Peppy blinked in surprise. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I was caught in a love triangle for who-knows-how long and I never knew it." Poppy said. "I had two guys in love with me. One of them I basically broke up with, the other I married, and now the guy I broke up with is back. I love that Creek has changed and he's my friend again. But Branch is….I don't know, maybe he's jealous? Maybe he's afraid I'll fall in love with Creek again?"

Peppy nodded in understanding. "Do you think you will fall in love with Creek again?"

"Of course not!" Poppy snapped. "I'm happily married with a beautiful daughter. And dating Creek now after all that happened would be weird."

"Good. Be satisfied and confident in that mindset. Keep being Creek's friend if that's what you want." Peppy said. "Unfortunately, Poppy, I don't think this is a problem you can help Branch with. He has deep-seated issues with Creek that he needs to sort out himself."

"I just want to help." Poppy said. She felt timid, like a child.

"You always want to help, Poppy." Peppy said with a smile. "It's a wonderful quality to have as Queen. But this is something Branch and Creek need to sort out themselves."

Poppy huffed a little, blowing her bangs from her face. "Okay. I'll just let them do their thing. I just wish Branch would tell me what's really bothering him about Creek. This can't be simple jealousy over me. Can it?"

"You ought to ask him that yourself." Peppy looked ahead. "Speak of the devil."

Poppy followed her father's gaze to see Branch, Satin, and Chenille jogging up to them. "Hey guys. What's up?"

"You haven't seen Rosie or Bliss anywhere, have you?" Branch asked.

Poppy thought about it. "Now that you mention it, no. I haven't seen Rosie since this morning. She said something about going to see Randy."

"Bliss left just after breakfast to hang out with Rosie." Satin said.

"But neither she or Rosie are back from wherever they went." Chenille added. "Bliss didn't mention where they were going."

"Wait, I think I ran into Rosie this morning." Peppy thought for a moment. "Yes, just after she got back from seeing Randy. She said she was going out into the forest and would be back for lunch."

"It's way past lunchtime." Poppy murmured.

Branch glanced in the direction of the forest. "Poppy, I think we should gather the rest of the Snack Pack and head out to look for them. Rosie wouldn't be late unless something happened."

"What could've happened?" Chenille asked, fearful for her surrogate daughter.

"You think Bliss is in danger?" Satin gulped.

"We won't know until we get out there." Branch said. "Peppy, would you go stay with Grandma?"

Peppy nodded in understanding. "Of course."

"Great. And find Symphony. She can help." Branch added.

* * *

A few hours passed by torturously slow. Blackwood continued drinking his tea, as though this were a party with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. He was very silent. Not in an awkward or bored way; more like a listening-for-my-enemies-way. Rosie inspected every inch of the cage and found no weaknesses. Bliss curled up in a ball in the center of the cage, rocking back and forth with fear in her eyes.

"Would you stop that?" Rosie snapped, rattling the cage door. Reaper hissed at her, but she hissed back, very much surprising the dark phoenix.

"How can you be so calm right now?" Bliss demanded.

Rosie knelt down in front of her and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm just trying to keep my hopes up. Keep a positive attitude. That's how we're going to figure out a way out of here."

"What if we can't?" Bliss asked. "What if they don't find us? You've disappeared for hours at a time, and they never worried."

"We won't find a way out of here by giving up." Rosie reminded her.

"I know. You've always been so good at being optimistic, like your mom." Bliss sighed. "But I'm so afraid of what Blackwood will do to us. I don't wanna die."

Rosie listened carefully to Bliss, and she smiled gently. She took her hands in hers and gave them a squeeze.

 _Tell me what's the frown doing there on your face  
Don't you know you're so far down into this race  
There's no need to cry  
Don't give up your fight  
Let me tell you why_

 _You got some power right there in your heart  
It's always there, it's part of who you are  
Never lose that shine  
Because your strength in mine  
Let me tell you why_

Bliss slowly began to smile, touched by Rosie's kind gesture. As usual, she knew just what to say to help her friends. Rosie could see the song working, and she continued singing. Inside, though, she wished they could get out that cage. Secretly, she wished she could just blast the cage open.

 _Come on let your heart shine out  
Let your strength come through  
Don't let those monsters in  
I won't give up on you_

 _Light your heart's spark  
Just like a firework—_

Rosie yelped when a sparkling sphere, like a giant firework sparkler, appeared in front of her. The sparkler shot towards the bars of the cage and caused a small explosion when it made impact. Now, there was a large hole in the cage with a clear shot to the woods.

Blackwood spewed his tea in surprise. "What in the—?"

"Run!" Rosie grabbed Bliss's hand and pulled her along as they sprinted for the trees.

Blackwood jumped onto Reaper's back. "After them!" The dark phoenix spread his wings and took off into the air, darting after Rosie and Bliss.

"How did you do that, Rosie?" Bliss asked as she and Rosie ran through the forest.

"No idea! Keep running!" Rosie truly didn't know how she did it. At the moment, she was more concerned about getting away from Blackwood while they had the chance. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be easy with Reaper able to dodge and weave through trees so easily. Rosie saw her opportunity and pulled Bliss into a hole amongst the roots of a tree. The long-abandoned animal nest provided perfect protection from Reaper. The only downside was Rosie and Bliss didn't have anywhere else to go.

Reaper reached his talons in, but couldn't grab the girls. Blackwood rolled his eyes and slid off the dark phoenix. "Now, girls, come out of there this instant!" he ordered.

"No way!" Bliss and Rosie snapped simultaneously.

"Then I'll come in there and drag you out!" Blackwood threatened. Rosie pushed Bliss behind her. She didn't know if she could summon that firework again.

Then, a voice shouted from the trees.

" _Leave them alone, Blackwood!"_

"Is that Creek?" Bliss gasped. Rosie's eyes widened in surprise and joy.

Blackwood jumped back, narrowly missing the arrow that pierced the ground in front of him. Reaper screeched when something hit him in the head. A familiar purple troll, disheveled and dirty from weeks spent in the forest, landed before the sorcerer and his steed.

"Haven't seen you around lately, Creek." Blackwood sneered.

Creek loaded another arrow in his bow and aimed it for Blackwood. He had a hardness in his eyes never seen before. "Did you miss me?" He asked mockingly.

Blackwood analyzed Creek's stance and facial expression. "You've gotten stronger. That won't do. You're only useful to me as long as you're weak and pathetic, like you've always been. Now I have to waste my energy and kill you."

"Why did you want to keep me around anyway?" Creek demanded.

"Because you were useful as a slave." Blackwood shrugged. "And I needed a whipping boy, of sorts, to punish every time Rosiepuff escaped. Now here you are, pretending that you're trying to protect her—"

Creek released the arrow, and Blackwood ducked. Reaper squawked as the arrow grazed his leg. Creek loaded another arrow. "You still think I'm pretending?"

Blackwood growled in irritation. "You know what? I think I hate you."

Creek smirked. "Well I've always hated you, so at least the feeling is mutual."

Blackwood caught sight of a flash of color, and he realized Rosie and Bliss used Creek's distraction to make a run for it. He couldn't fire a blast of any magic because he had to dodge Creek's arrow. Creek darted after Rosie and Bliss, pulling them away just before Blackwood and Reaper came after them again.

"I have never been so happy to see you!" Bliss told Creek.

"You totally saved us!" Rosie said with amazement in her voice.

"'Tis an honor and pleasure, milady!" Creek laughed. He and the girls skidded to a halt when Reaper landed in front of them. Creek made sure to stand in front of the girls. Still, this may prove to be a tough fight. Three-on-two doesn't mean much when those "two" are a sorcerer and a dark phoenix. Creek handed his bow to Rosie and drew his staff from the sheath he sewed onto his backpack. He twirled it skillfully.

"I don't think a stick is going to help you here, Creek." Blackwood taunted.

"You'd be surprised." Creek shrugged his pack off his shoulders and lunged. Reaper snapped his beak, but Creek jumped to avoid it and landed on Reaper's head. After whacking the dark phoenix in the head, Creek ran up to Blackwood. The sorcerer jumped back to avoid Creek's strikes. He couldn't fight in hand-to-hand combat, and he didn't have his sword on hand. So Blackwood sent blasts of fire and lightning. Creek hopped around like a kangaroo to avoid them, going in for another attack every chance he had. The two trolls used Reaper's back and wings as their battlefield, even when the dark phoenix twisted and turned and bucked to try and get them off. Rosie and Bliss wisely stayed back, in awe at Creek's newly developed fighting abilities.

 _That must be why he was gone for so long._ Rosie guessed. _He was training._

Blackwood found an opportunity and jumped off Reaper. Seeing his master out of danger, Reaper rolled onto his back and almost squished Creek underneath him. Before Creek to get to his feet again, Reaper pinned him down with his foot and reared his head back to strike Creek with his beak. Bliss tossed Rosie an arrow, and she pulled it back in Creek's bow and fired it. Due to her poor aim, the arrow hit Reaper and left a non-lethal wound, but it distracted the dark phoenix long enough for Creek to slide out from between the bird's talons. Creek lunged for Blackwood again. Reaper tried to dart after the lavender troll, but he suddenly tripped and hit the dirt.

"Get his wings too!" Smidge shouted, her hair looped around Reaper's legs. Biggie and Fuzzbert grabbed one of Reaper's wings in their hair, and Suki and Guy Diamond got the other wing. When Reaper tried to snap at them, Cooper took care of his beak.

"Bad bird!" Cooper scolded.

Satin, Chenille, and Branch went to their respective daughters while Poppy shot towards Blackwood. She waited for Creek to get out of the way and then whipped her hair forward to grab Blackwood by the neck and throw him farther away from them.

"Good to see you again." Creek said to Poppy.

"Same to you." Poppy nodded in greeting. She and Creek looked to Blackwood as the sorcerer recovered from the last blow.

Blackwood analyzed the scene. He was already tired thanks to Creek's newfound fighting abilities. He wouldn't be able to beat Creek, much less Creek plus his friends, including Branch and his magic. "Reaper!" Blackwood called. "To me!"

Reaper knew what that meant: retreat. The dark phoenix gave a mighty heave and threw the Snack Pack off him. The bird flew off, and Blackwood stretched his hair to grab his steed's foot and pull him up. "Don't think this is over!" Blackwood shouted as Reaper flew away with him. "I'll be back! You can count on it!"

"And you can count on me being ready." Creek muttered to himself. He accepted Poppy's hug.

"Welcome back." Poppy said. "Again."

"It's good to be back." Creek said.

"Creek, that was so awesome!" Rosie and Bliss practically tackled Creek in a hug.

"You should've seen him!" Bliss told her mothers. "He's like a total ninja now!"

"Yeah! He fought off Blackwood and saved us!" Rosie added.

"Then it looks like we owe you one." Suki said.

"Yeah, great work, Creek!" Cooper complimented.

"Thank you, but you don't owe me a thing." Creek said. "I just want to go back to protecting the trolls back home."

"So then that journey Cybil told us about, that's all taken care of?" Poppy asked hopefully.

"Yes." Creek nodded, blushing a little when the Snack Pack cheered for him. "I'm ready to come home."

"Yes, let's go home!" Biggie urged excitedly. "I have some freshly made cupcakes at my house that need to be frosted!" That alone spurred the friends into action, and they started back towards Troll Grove.

"Something Blackwood said is bothering me. He told Creek, 'Haven't seen you around lately.' Does that mean he's watching us?" Bliss asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him to stalk us, particularly Rosiepuff." Creek said. "We should set up a guard when we get back."

"Already taken care of." Poppy assured with a smile. "I'll catch you up on everything when we get home."

Creek nodded in thanks. Bliss and Rosie started telling everyone about what happened with Blackwood capturing them and Creek's heroic actions. With everyone else distracted, Branch came up behind Creek and put a hand on his shoulder. The tense grip caught Creek's attention, and he felt Branch forcing him to slow down so that they walked a short distance behind the others.

"I know what you're doing." Branch said in a low voice.

"Really?" Creek asked, even when he knew what would come next. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"You're using my daughter to your advantage." Branch said. "Nothing that you're doing is sincere. I've known you for a long time, Creek. You can't change."

"I thought I knew you too, and yet you changed so much in your life." Creek argued. "I watched you go from happy-go-lucky to depressed and paranoid to happy and mildly paranoid. I really don't think you know me as well as you think."

"I've known you all your life." Branch countered.

"And you cut me out of your life when you turned grey." Creek snapped. "You didn't treat me like your friend anymore. So how can you say you know me?"

Branch glared at him. "You never should've come back here."

"You just can't forgive me, can you?" Creek huffed.

"No." Branch said with a hard glare. There also seemed to be a bit of pain in his eyes. "I will never forgive, because I'll never forget. You know why? Because you _were_ my friend once. You were someone I thought I could trust. Yes, I admit I was jealous when you dated Poppy. But I never thought you would actually betray that trust I had for you. The trust _Poppy_ had for you. You hurt her, and that is just one of the several reasons I hate you. I wish you had never left Blackwood's home in the Western Woods. But if you won't leave Troll Grove, then you're going to stay away from my daughter."

Branch sped up to rejoin the others, leaving Creek in the dust. Creek took a few deep breaths to calm his anger. He still frowned, though. He wasn't afraid to show his emotions, but he didn't want to cause a scene. Not when they had a great victory today.

 _I've changed. I know that, and everyone else sees it._ Creek thought to himself, putting on a smile and jogging to catch up with his friends. _I don't care if Branch never sees it._

* * *

When the group returned to the Troll Tree, there was much relief from Peppy, Rosiepuff, and even Symphony. Cybil came down at once when she heard Creek was home. Creek had happy tears in his eyes when she pulled him into a tight hug. Rosiepuff also enveloped him in a warm embrace, relieved to have him back. Everyone was rather impressed by Creek's new fighting abilities. Word soon spread, and the Cupcake Frosting Party at Biggie's was cut shot so Creek could do a demonstration of his self-taught martial arts. Several trolls knew how to fight, of course; most trolls could do a legitimate hair whip for defensive purposes. But very few could use weapons or do any kind of martial arts.

Despite Branch's best subtle efforts and most hopeful wishing, Rosie tried to get close to Creek all day. She wanted to talk to him; but every time she got his attention, she lost her train of thought and made a comment on a random topic. Creek would just smile and continue the conversation. Whenever he smiled at her, Rosie felt like butterflies did the cha-cha in her stomach. She couldn't bring herself to talk to him about these feelings, and inquire whether or not he felt the same things she did when they were together.

Those thoughts stayed on Rosie's mind all afternoon and well into the night. She lay in her bed that night—dressed in her pajamas, bathed, hair combed, teeth brushed, and ready for bed—and stared at the ceiling with her thoughts going so fast through her brain that she couldn't focus on any of them. Rosie sat up and went to her window, staring out into the night.

 _I can't keep running from this. I have to find him._ Rosie listened for her parents' voices, but they already fell asleep. So she slipped out her window and crept along the branches of the Troll Tree towards Cybil and Creek's pod. When she neared the pod, she saw it was already dark inside. _Dang it, they're probably asleep._ Rosie cursed herself. _I can't just wake him up for something so trivial. Better wait until tomorrow._

But before Rosie could turn and walk home, she saw the door to the pod open. She watched as Creek slipped out of the pod, donning a forest green, hooded cloak that went down to his ankles. He looked around, but didn't see Rosie, and he jogged off along the branches of the Troll Grove trees. Rosie trailed after him when she noticed he carried his weapons with him. Creek stayed silent—very much like a ninja, as Bliss described him before—and waltzed right into the forest without hesitating. Rosie sped up to stay close behind him.

When they got a good distance from Bergen Town and Troll Grove, Rosie finally spoke up. "Creek!"

Creek froze and spun around. "Rosie?" His eyes were wide with shock as Rosie caught up. "I didn't even hear you."

"I thought you could sense auras." Rosie pointed out.

"Well, I didn't think anyone would be following me; and I was distracted." Creek said.

Rosie looked down the path Creek intended to take. "Where are you going?"

Creek pursed his lips. "It's nothing you need to worry about. Come on, I'll take you home."

Rosie recoiled before Creek could take her hand and lead her away. "Where are you going?"

Creek realized pretty quickly he would get nowhere trying to avoid this. Rosie was stubborn, just like her father. "I'm going to fight Blackwood."

Rosie's jaw dropped. "What?!"

"He's not going to stop coming after Rosiepuff, and he might hurt you or someone else in the process." Creek said. "I have to stop him now while I have a chance."

"You could get killed!" Rosie protested.

"Well what other choice do I or any of us have?" Creek demanded. "I'm not going to live my life in fear of him coming back, and it's not fair to Rosiepuff to live like that either! She's not free, and I promised she would be free of him for good. I have to fight him."

"I won't let you!" Rosie snapped.

"Rosie—"

"No, Creek! I—"

"Don't say it!"

Rosie flinched at the panicked tone in Creek's voice. She stared at him in confusion. His eyes were wild and darted around as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Don't say what I think you're going to say." Creek pleaded.

Rosie swallowed. "What do you think I'm going to say?"

"That you love me." Creek said. "I mean, I hope that you…well, I mean….because I…" He didn't know how to convey his feelings in words. He was afraid to say the L-word, in case Rosie didn't say it back. "Look, whatever you're going to say next, you're just saying to convince me to stay. And I don't—"

"That's only half-true." Rosie interrupted. She swallowed her fear and gathered her courage. "I would say anything to keep you here, and it's because I want you to stay. I don't want you to leave again. I have to say what I need to say now, in case you go through with this and you don't come back and I never see you again and that would break my heart because…." She blushed. She was rambling now.

Creek stepped closer to Rosie. "Then say it. Say what you need to say, and I will listen."

Rosie finally smiled. "I always have two voices talking to me: my head and my heart. My head is cautious and afraid and—more often than not—logical. My heart is always listening to my emotions, telling me to do things that aren't logical, that others rarely agree with. Now, usually, I listen to my heart, and it gets me into trouble. But when I listen to my head, sometimes it doesn't work out for me. My head and my heart are never in agreement, and I never know which one to listen to. But when I'm with you—when I talk to you and sing with you—for the first time in my life, my head and my heart say the exact same thing." Happy tears accompanied her spilling emotions, and Rosie laughed a little in relief.

Creek swallowed, desperate to not cry in relief right with her. "So…um…what are your heart and head telling you to do right now?"

Rosie's smile got bigger. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his own. She cupped his jaw in her hands, and Creek wrapped an arm around her waist. He put his free hand to the back of her head and gently pushed her deeper into the kiss.

Unknown to them, a certain llama troll crouched in the bushes and watched them with wide eyes. Cooper noticed Rosie pass his home as he was settling down for bed, and he followed her out into the forest. He lost her for a while, and then followed her voice until he discovered her with Creek. Seeing them kiss sent a shock through Cooper. He didn't know how to respond. Should he announce his presence? Stop them? Keep watching? After a minute, Cooper slunk away and made his way back home. Rosie would be safe with Creek, and no doubt they would return home soon. But now what would he do? How would he ask Rosie about this tomorrow? And, more importantly, should he tell Branch and/or Poppy?

The need for air forced Creek and Rosie to break their kiss. Rosie laughed and hugged him. Creek kissed her cheek. It was like he carried a boulder on his chest for a hundred years, and someone lifted it off him and let him breathe. He accepted Rosie's kiss again, but then broke it too soon.

 _What if this isn't right? What if we aren't good for each other?_ Creek thought anxiously. _What if we're just rushing it like teenagers do and I'm not good enough for her?_

Rosie guided his eyes back to hers, her smile gentle and her gaze began to 's voice was enchanting, and Creek began to smile. Rosie slowly pulled him along, leading him home as she continued. Her song spoke of true, unconditional love, the same love she had for Creek.

Creek turned their walk into a dance, and the two of them moved elegantly through the forest in perfect rhythm and harmony with each other. Their colors brightened and caused them to almost glow while Creek sang the next verse. Their voices blended well in their duet, and the forest seemed to respond to their dance and song. Fireflies swirled around them, and beams of moonlight shot through the leaves of the trees like little spotlights. Rosie and Creek twirled and danced through the forest, unaware of anything except each other. Adoration shined in their eyes.

With Bergen Town and Troll Grove just ahead of them, Creek pulled Rosie into one more kiss.

* * *

 **A/N: So, now that this is official, I have a question for you readers: what is a good shipping name for these two?**

 **And the song featured in this chapter? All mine! Original poetry written by me!**

 **Also, the quote from Branch, "I will never forgive, because I'll never forget," was inspired by neomoon585. Props to them!**


	21. Reconciliation

**A/N: Okay, so remember when I said this story was going to be a bit longer than my other stories? Turns out, the first part alone will be quite** **long.** **Oops. Keep in mind I didn't really have a chapter number in my head when I started. I just had a synopsis. But we're about 3/4 of the way through the story!**

 **Also, you guys had quite the reaction from the last chapter! Yay! I know some of you are unsure about the Creek/Rosie shipping, but I plead "I'm the writer I can do what I want." :D If I must defend it, especially to whoever says,** **"technically Creek is older than Rosie," may I point out that Edward was like a hundred years old when he first met Bella?**

 **BornOnTheBreakOfDawn – I actively followed Trolls Week on Tumblr. It was so awesome! I also checked out some of your work, and I love it!**

 **Neomoon585 – Yes, I agree Creek deserves some love.**

 **Guest – Oh, the RosiepuffxPeppy shipping will come very soon. :D**

 **Tomboyfriend – Oh, Branch and Creek will have an intervention…of sorts…..**

 **LivvyLeopard – Yes, I know what you mean. :D**

 **Feanwen – I will be able to answer your questions very soon, trust me!**

 **I'll announce the shipping name in the next chapter. Enjoy this chapter until then! Warning: major angst alert.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-One – Reconciliation**

The next morning, Rosie woke up and just stared at her bedroom ceiling. She sat up in her bed, wondering if last night was a dream. She touched her lips, and she swore she felt leftover tingling from when Creek kissed her. Smiling broadly, Rosie hopped out of bed and got dressed. She skipped to the breakfast table and plopped herself down next to her father.

"Well aren't we in a chipper mood today." Branch mused, sipping his juice.

"What's got you so excited?" Poppy asked, bringing out the breakfast plates.

"I just slept very well last night." Rosie shrugged. "I think I'll go hang out with my friends today, maybe visit Captain Starfunkle's."

"Just don't go into the forest today." Poppy requested. "Not after what happened yesterday."

"Yes, Mom." Rosie nodded in agreement. She wouldn't let on that she really just wanted to see Creek again. She had to make sure she didn't dream last night. So, after chatting with her parents and finishing breakfast, Rosie skipped out the door and used her hair to lower herself to the ground.

When her feet touched the grass, Rosie suddenly felt something in the air. Something didn't feel right. Did she forget something? Hat: check. Dress and vest: check. A high-spirited attitude: double check. Rosie shook off the feeling and skipped off.

* * *

Branch always checked the baby pod in the mornings, and then checked it again before he and Poppy left the house. The pod seemed to be growing well and looked healthy. Of course, Branch worried constantly the way fathers do. Poppy suggested they go visit his grandmother, seeing how Rosiepuff told them yesterday she had a surprise for the baby to show them today.

When they arrived at Rosiepuff's house, quite a sight greeted them: the Snack Pack frantically cleaning up the place. Rosiepuff watched with amusement, stepping aside when one of the Snack Pack hurried past her with a feather duster or a vacu-beetle.

"What's going on in here?" Branch laughed.

"Well, a certain someone—" Rosiepuff eyed Cooper when she said that. "—overheard me say that I had a surprise for your incoming newborn, but I was going to run a few errands first. Your friends insisted on helping me so they could see the surprise too. They even cleaned the house, though I already told them I tided up the place a few days ago. I must say, they're very good housemaids."

"And I baked cookies!" Biggie poked his head out the door of the kitchen, wearing an apron and chef's hat. "And I promise I'll clean up the kitchen right now!"

"All right, you did your work. The place looks great." Rosiepuff said. "Now put the cleaning supplies away and I'll get that surprise." The Snack Pack scrambled around, being as quick as they could and excitedly bouncing on their toes while Rosiepuff disappeared into her room.

"So someone's an eavesdropper, huh?" Branch smirked teasingly at Cooper.

Cooper chuckled nervously. "Well, these big ears ain't for nothing." He still hadn't found a way to tell Branch and Poppy he saw their daughter kissing Creek and they were most likely going to start a relationship. Cooper decided he may have to keep that to himself until he could figure it all out.

Rosiepuff returned carrying a folded, dark green blanket. "This is your old baby blanket, Branch."

Branch's eyes lit up. He rubbed the blanket. "Still soft."

"Found it in the closet." Rosiepuff said. "I thought maybe your newborn would enjoy it. So, I fixed it up and added a few more design improvements." She unfolded the blanket and held it up for everyone to see. Everyone except Branch cooed collectively, and Branch smiled so wide his cheeks hurt. The blanket was sewn and patterned like a quilt, and looked like a grid of squares within a satin trim. Within each square was a simple image of each member of the newborn baby's family: Branch, Poppy, Peppy, Rosiepuff, Rosie, and even all the Snack Pack members.

"It's wonderful, Grandma." Branch said. "Thank you."

"I left several squares blank so we can add more family members as we see fit. And that square there—" She pointed to an empty square next to Rosie's picture. "—is for your new baby when he or she gets here." With how the squares were laid out, the sequence was Peppy, Rosiepuff, Branch, Poppy, Rosie, and the new baby.

"Perfect." Poppy said. "It's so beautiful."

"And I'm sure the baby will enjoy it just as much as Branch did." Rosiepuff said, folding the blanket again and setting it on her chair. "He couldn't sleep without it."

"I can't wait for the new baby!" Biggie squealed happily.

"The pod should bloom in a few months." Poppy said. "The entire kingdom is getting excited. Rosie already called dibs on the first babysitting gig." She glanced to Rosiepuff. "With you supervising, of course."

"It would be my pleasure." Rosiepuff nodded.

A knock at the door startled everyone, and Poppy went to answer. Harper stood outside. "Hey Poppy!" Harper greeted. "There's a servant from King Gristle's castle on the edge of Troll Grove. Says he needs to talk to you and Branch as soon as possible."

Fuzzbert made a questioning garbled noise. "Yeah, we want to come too!" Guy Diamond agreed.

"I guess that would be all right." Harper shrugged. "I think King Gristle needs a little help at the castle, so maybe it would be good for everyone to go."

"Thanks, Harper." Poppy said. Harper nodded and left. Poppy looked to the others. "Well, we should probably get going."

"Uh….." Rosiepuff cleared her throat. "Mind if I come too?"

The jaws of the Snack Pack members dropped. Branch stared at his grandmother in surprise. "Really?"

"Well, it seemed I was helpful when little Randy was sick. Maybe I can be of assistance for other problems." Rosiepuff shrugged.

"Sure!" Poppy chirped. "Why not?" She led the way to the entrance to Bergen Town.

Branch took his grandmother's hand and gave it a squeeze. "You sure about this?"

"Yes." Rosiepuff nodded. "I've been putting it off too long anyway. Perhaps Bergens are capable of true kindness and I'm just ignoring it. I want to get to know them, convince myself that they're not monsters like I remember."

Branch grinned with pride. He had hoped for this day for months. This was a huge step forward compared to her previous attitude. Branch decided he would still stay near his grandmother, just in case she needed help.

When they reached the castle servant, the group of trolls found her standing near a rickshaw. The Bergen didn't say a word, a neutral gaze on her face, as she loaded the trolls onto the rickshaw and headed for the castle. Without a word, the castle servant transported them to the palace. Nobody would ask what was up. The air seemed thick with tension. The servant took them up to the front door and passed them off to Chad and Todd, who took the trolls to the drawing room of the castle. Chad and Todd stopped outside the doors, knelt down, and set the trolls on the floor.

"Guys, what's going on?" Poppy asked, a worried expression on her face. "Why is everyone so glum?"

Chad and Todd exchanged a look, and then Chad spoke up. "Prince Randy is dead."

Silence enveloped the corridor.

"What?" Poppy's voice was no higher than a whisper.

"In the middle of the night last night, while everyone slept." Todd said. He pushed the door to the drawing room open, and the trolls instantly understood. They darted inside, and Todd and Chad left. Bridget sat on the couch near the fireplace, sniffling and wiping her teary, bloodshot eyes with her handkerchief. Poppy and the Snack Pack sprinted over and reached Bridget long before Branch and Rosiepuff could catch up. By the time they reached Bridget, Poppy and the Snack Pack already embraced her in the best group hug trolls could give to a Bergen.

"Oh Bridget." Poppy sniffled. "What happened?"

Bridget let out a quivering sigh. "Randy wasn't eating much. He died last night. The doctor says his body, especially his heart, was just too weak from all the sickness during his life. His life…..what life? He didn't even make it to his first birthday!" She broke down into sobs again, burying her face into her hankie. Her friends hugged her again. Biggie, of course, was a blubbering mess, though quieter than usual. There was hardly a dry eye from the friends.

"We're so sorry, Bridget." Branch said.

Bridget sniffled. "He wouldn't wake up this morning. He seemed so normal last night. I sang him a lullaby and everything, and I thought I would wake up and make him breakfast. But he just….." She sighed again. "I'm tired of crying. Nothing I can do will bring him back."

Branch looked around. "Where's Gristle?"

"In the throne room." Bridget said. "He said he wanted to be alone. Just leave him be."

"We won't be leaving you anytime soon." Suki assured. "We're going to stay with you."

Bridget smiled a little. "I knew you would. Thank you."

Rosiepuff watched the tender, mournful scene for a moment. With the attention on Bridget, Rosiepuff could easily slide off the couch and sneak out the door. She walked down the hall to the throne room, her mind racing faster with every step. What would she say? Was this even smart? Even when her first response to that second question was "no," she kept walking. When Rosiepuff made it to the throne room, she found the door cracked open just enough for her to get through. Gristle sulked on his throne, leaning on the armrest and staring off into space. Like his wife, his eyes were bloodshot from crying so much.

The king didn't notice he had a guest until Rosiepuff cleared her throat, and he jumped. He glanced to the armrest he didn't lean on and saw Rosiepuff standing there. "Oh! Ms. Rosiepuff. What are you doing here?"

"I tagged along with Poppy, Branch, and the others." Rosiepuff said. "They're with your wife."

"I see." Gristle nodded slowly.

Rosiepuff swallowed. Her inner fear of Bergens screamed at her to run away before Gristle killed her on the spot. She ignored that fear and argued to herself that King Gristle would most likely (hopefully) not swallow her whole.

"King Gristle, I just wanted to say how sorry I am." Rosiepuff said. "I am so sorry. I thought the medicine would work. It always worked before. Cybil's methods work. It's not about whether or not they work better than 'actual' medicine, I just knew they worked. So I thought…I mean, I didn't think…." She took a small step backwards. "I didn't mean to make things worse."

Gristle stared at her for a long moment. "Don't you _dare_ twist this around." He growled out. "Don't _ever_ make this sound like you killed my son, because _you did not._ "

Rosiepuff blinked in surprise and looked up. Gristle looked very much distraught, but for a different reason. "But….." Rosiepuff gulped. "The medicine—"

"Worked. The medicine worked." Gristle assured. "You saw it yourself. Randy got better. He won against the pneumonia and he lived. Sure, he only lived for a few more days, but at least he got better for a while. Randy was healthier and happier than I had ever seen in his entire life. He didn't even have the sniffles. He was totally cured." He smiled in remembrance of his beloved, recently deceased son. "Maybe if he had been a bit stronger, he would have lived longer and maybe even made it to his toddler years. But, ultimately, he was just too weak. He had been so sick, and that pneumonia really took a toll on him. His poor little body couldn't take it. But at least he passed away peacefully. He just fell asleep." He sighed, shutting his eyes. "He didn't wake me up this morning. He always fusses in the morning for his breakfast, and it wakes me up like clockwork."

Rosiepuff took a step closer to Gristle. "I am relieved to know you don't blame me. I just wish I could've done more for him."

Gristle shook his head. "Believe me, you did plenty. Because of you, Randy died without suffering. So rarely was he not feeling sick. For the first time in ages, he looked like a perfectly healthy baby boy. And since your medicine worked so well, I want you and Cybil to teach it to our Bergen doctors so they can give it to other Bergens who get pneumonia. So don't worry about it. It's okay." He nodded slowly. "It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay."

Rosiepuff noticed Gristle gripping both armrests of his chair so tightly his knuckles turned white. She approached his hand and patted his knuckles, causing him to freeze. "Gristle, it's not okay to lose someone you love, especially your child. Now, life will move on and you will find a way to recover from the pain. For now, you need to acknowledge what you're feeling. Lean on the friends and family you have, and they will support you. We won't let you bury yourself in your grief. I promise."

Gristle looked to Rosiepuff, and he finally broke down. He buried his face in his hands and let out his tears. Rosiepuff came closer and hugged his bicep, the best way she could comfort him right now. She didn't say anything else, just letting Gristle release his sorrow.

Back in the drawing room, Bridget started to calm down again. "I've been crying all morning. You'd think I would run out of tears by now."

"Afraid not. Take it from me." Branch said. "But we're going to be right here for you."

"Yeah, we're all here for you." Chenille said.

Bridget smiled a little. "Thanks, guys. I knew it was a good idea to call you up here."

"We will help you with anything you need." Satin assured.

"All the trolls will, I'm sure." Poppy said. "Our kingdom adored Randy just like the Bergens did."

Bridget wiped her eyes again. Her hanky was quite damp by now. "We're going to hold his funeral tomorrow. Bergens don't like to delay those things. The sooner he's buried, the quicker we mourn."

"Reasonable, I guess." Branch mused.

"Why so quick?" Guy Diamond asked with a sniffle.

"Before our kingdoms became one—before you guys taught us how to be happy—Bergens always tried to rush through any kind of grief." Bridget explained. "It was one thing to feel unhappy and miserable all the time. But grief and mourning from losing a loved one was something else entirely. We've always understood what it meant to have a family. Bergens hate to feel intense sadness like mourning a family member we lost. So we bury the dead quickly to get on with the mourning process."

"Well, you can count on our attendance at the funeral." Poppy said. "We'll be there for the entire mourning period, however long that takes."

"I appreciate that, Poppy." Bridget said. "But we don't need much. In fact, I have a happier announcement to make: Gristle and I are going to try again."

"Try again?" Cooper repeated.

"You mean you're going to have another baby?" Suki squealed excitedly.

"Yes." Bridget nodded. "We'll always miss Randy and think of him often. But we need a little baby around. We were so busy running a kingdom and going through a bunch of ups and downs in our marriage that we weren't able to have a baby for a long time. Once our hearts heal a little more, Gristle and I are going to have another one. And I'd like to talk to your doctor and that Cybil woman about ways to keep myself and the baby healthy while I'm pregnant."

"I'm sure Dr. Plum and Cybil would be happy to help." Poppy said.

"Now, we just need to know how to help you through the funeral tomorrow." Branch said. "Trolls have their own funeral traditions if you wish to change things up at all."

"Well, Bergen funerals aren't very elaborate, or well-thought-out." Bridget admitted. "What do you guys do? Make it a party?"

Poppy and the Snack Pack grinned. "In a way, yes." Poppy nodded.

* * *

When Branch and Poppy returned home, they gently sat Rosie down and explained what happened to Randy. Peppy was there too, and comforted Rosie when she got over her shock and started crying. But she insisted on helping with the funeral arrangements for tomorrow. The Snack Pack spread the word through Troll Grove and Bergen Town of Randy's death and the time of his funeral the next day. Of course, there was much sadness all around; but both Bergens and trolls alike rallied together to make the funeral worthy of the beloved prince.

Both kingdoms gathered for Randy's funeral. Royals who died were entombed in a crypt below the castle. Before taking him down, Randy's body was placed on a small palanquin, decorated ornately. Everyone could see the baby on the palanquin while Gristle and Bridget came up to give speeches about their son. There was hardly a dry eye. Gristle and Bridget went down with a collection of servants to set Randy's body in a stone coffin in the catacombs. When they returned, the party part of the funeral began, courtesy of the trolls. When a troll died, their bodies were displayed similarly to how Randy was, and the trolls would celebrate the life of the deceased. There would be food, music, and even a bit of dancing. There was also a space for people to mourn quietly if they so wished. Most of the Bergens stuck with their own traditions: leaving the funeral immediately after it ended so they could wallow in their grief. Other Bergens, like Gristle and Bridget, loved the idea of a casual party to help them cope with the grief.

Poppy, Satin, Chenille, Suki, and Smidge brought Dr. Plum and Cybil to Bridget so they could discuss plans for another baby. Biggie, Cooper, Fuzzbert, Guy Diamond, and Branch talked with Gristle about his days as a child, helping him take his mind off his son. As the party started to die down, Branch noticed his grandmother sitting up on a tree limb, staring out over the crowd. He slipped away from the guys and made his way up to her.

"Hey." He gestured to the spot next to her. "This seat taken?"

"Not at all." Rosiepuff shook her head.

Branch plopped down. "Been a while since I attended a funeral. The last one was actually one I crashed. Sure made a lot of trolls mad at me."

Rosiepuff chuckled. "I heard about that. Something about a crazy troll screaming, 'The Bergens are coming! AAAAHHHHH!'"

Branch laughed. "Yeah. That was bad. A Bergen funeral is interesting too. But I wouldn't want to be down in those catacombs."

Rosiepuff hummed in agreement. "Traditionally, a troll's body is burned after their funeral."

"Right." Branch thought about it. "Because then our ashes can better mix with the earth, continuing the circle of life, as Peppy called it. And the deceased troll decides where they want their ashes scattered before they die."

Rosiepuff nodded. She stared at the ground; specifically, at the Bergens still at the party. "I held a grudge against the Bergens because I thought they were monsters. I thought they were emotionless beasts who didn't understand the concept of love or kindness."

"Understandable, given your experience." Branch said.

"But after what I just saw, I don't think I can hold onto that grudge anymore." Rosiepuff said. "For the first time, I saw kindness and love in a Bergen. I saw King Gristle feeling true pain, and it's hard to hate someone who felt pain I experienced."

Branch smiled and hugged Rosiepuff. "I'm so glad. This is a huge step, and I know this hasn't been easy."

"You're right. It wasn't." Rosiepuff sighed. "But if I keep holding onto my hatred, then I'm no better than people like Blackwood or Chef." She grinned. "Besides, Randy was a cute little thing. I can't wait to babysit the next royal baby in that castle."

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, that was sad; and, yes, I just killed a baby. Necessary for the story, I'm afraid. I'm a firm believer in only killing characters when it aides the story.**

 **Also, I posted a video/storyboard of Creek's song "Silhouette" from Chapter Ten! Go to Youtube or Tumblr and search "Creek's Silhouette – A Dreamworks Trolls Storyboard." Enjoy!**


	22. Lost Moment

**A/N: So, this chapter will be a bit longer than the others, but mostly because there is a lot of music. Also, I've split up the remnants of the synopsis I have written out, and I think I have about nine chapters left of this story before I start Part Two. The sooner I get those chapters written, the quicker I can update for you lovely readers.**

 **Also, I've looked over the shipping names. Thanks for partaking! I liked Rosecreek, Lavender Love, and Crosie (that last one was most often suggested). Those are kind of hard names to make a good ship name.**

 **Jpbake – Yes, I was subconsciously thinking of both** _ **The Lion King**_ **and your "Troll Queen" story when writing that circle of life thing.**

 **Guest – I actually laughed at your review and my mother stared at me strangely. :D**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – That's spelled "hypocrite." And, yes, Branch is one in that case.**

 **SilverG – I certainly hope I didn't scare you too much with that. Good luck, soon-to-be aunt!**

 **Feanwen – This story actually has three parts. Part 2 and 3 will be much shorter, I think.**

 **Enjoy this chapter! There will be lots of romantic moments for both RosiexCreek shipping and RosiepuffxPeppy shipping! :D**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Two – Lost Moment**

It took several days of isolation before Bridget and Gristle would leave their castle and mingle about their people. The grief of Randy's death still hung in the air, but the Bergen Town and Troll Grove residents found their own ways to cope. Rosiepuff visited Gristle and Bridget every day to lend a hand in any way she could. Peppy was almost always by her side, seeing how she still couldn't bring herself to be around Bergens alone.

Speaking of trolls sticking together, there were two others whose relationship began to blossom like a field of flowers: Rosie and Creek. They knew for a fact that Branch would blow his top if he knew they were in love. But they were desperate to encourage this newfound love, so they began dating in secret. Every night, when their families fell asleep, the teenagers would slip out of Troll Grove and into the forest. Rosie found a peaceful area near the river: rocky in some parts, grassy in others, and surrounded by thick trees so Blackwood couldn't find them. Even if he did, they had secret routes to escape and slip back to the safety of Troll Grove.

Sneaking away to their special place, Creek and Rosie could talk and kiss without anyone seeing them. They talked about anything on their minds, from the smallest day-to-day things that happened to soul-searching questions and problems that haunted them. Best of all, Rosie and Creek loved to sing and dance together and amaze themselves with their unintentional synchronization.

Rosie bobbed her head to the beat, using the music of the forest to guide the song. As soon as she started singing, she started popped up next to her, playfully bumping his hip against hers and taking up the next verse to show off his own of the dancing Creek and Rosie did together was choreographed. They mimicked and responded to each other's movements. Somehow, they could dance like they practiced hours a day. Like yin and yang, they completed each other.

Creek took Rosie's hand and spun her around, bringing her closer to him and wrapping an arm around her waist. Rosie blushed as her nose brushed against his. They danced and sang together as fireflies flitted about above them. The two of them began to glow softly, similarly to when they sang the night they confessed their love for each other. They spun around and waltzed across the rocks, sometimes leaping in the air like ballerinas. When they took a brief pause in their dance, Creek reached a hand towards Rosie's face. She expected him to brush her bangs from her face, like usual. Instead, he began to pull off Rosie's hat. Rosie smacked her hand on top of her hat to stop him, but he easily flicked it off and tossed it aside. Rosie froze, wondering if the black streak in her hair was noticeable. Creek only smiled and brushed his fingers through Rosie's hair. The touch was comforting, and Rosie relaxed back into their dance.

Laughing and panting, the two of them flopped down in the grass and stared at the stars. Rosie found her hat and pulled it back on her head.

"Not that I don't love that hat—because I truly love the fact that you wear hats, it's so unlike a troll to do so—but why do you always wear it like it's a protective helmet?" Creek asked.

"I do not wear it like that." Rosie scoffed.

"Rosie, so many trolls refuse to wear hats because our hair stands up straight. They find it uncomfortable." Creek explained. "You rock that hat. You really do. But you get antsy whenever someone tries to take it off. Is it because of that black streak in your hair?"

Rosie's smile faded. "Is it noticeable?"

"Oh, no!" Creek laughed. "Actually, I don't see it unless I brush my hand through your hair or if I look for it. Why do you hide that? If you braid your hair right, the woven ebony strands would look beautiful in your jade green locks."

Rosie laughed lightly. "That's nice of you to say, but it's not true."

"It's part of you." Creek said. "I think you inherited it from your father."

"That's what I'm worried about." Rosie sighed, staring at the sky. "I think I have this streak in my hair because I'm afraid of becoming grey like my dad. He was grey for twenty years. What if I turn grey someday? Or worse: what if I turn grey and I can't get my colors back?"

Creek scooted closer to Rosie and wrapped his arms around her. "I won't let that happen. If you lose your colors and can't find happiness, then I'll be there to bring your happiness back."

Rosie looked up to him and smiled. She kissed him. "Thanks."

Creek hugged her again. "Rosie, I found true happiness with you. I knew I would fall in love someday, but I thought my happiness would come from my yogi training. Believe me, I am overjoyed to be in love with you and to be happy with you. This just feels right."

Rosie snuggled up closer to him. "I love you too."

"Scars and all?" Creek asked.

"There's nothing wrong with your scars." Rosie assured, running her hand down Creek's arm and feeling the grooves of the scars on his skin. "They're a part of who you are, and a testament to your strength."

"I just get self-conscious about how I look sometimes." Creek shrugged.

"I think I fell in love with who you are, not what your body looked like." Rosie pointed out.

"I know." Creek chuckled. He inhaled softly, breathing in Rosie's scent. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He sat up and reached into his hair. "I made you something while I was away."

Rosie sat up, and gasped softly when Creek pulled out a bracelet from his hair. The bracelet had little wooden beads that looked hand-carved, with small designs on each bead. "It's beautiful."

Creek tied the bracelet around her wrist. "Each symbol represents the journey we took to now. That's for the dream-speaking. The guitar is for the song I sang at the Welcome Back Party. That musical note with the heart was us singing the other day. And it's all strung together with my hair."

Rosie gasped. "Really? Your own hair?" Such an act was a truly sincere show of love between trolls.

"You're a special girl." Creek said. "I want you to have a piece of me. Then you can say I'm always with you."

Rosie laughed and kissed his cheek. "You're so sappy and sweet."

Creek pressed his forehead to hers, chuckling. He glanced skyward and sighed. "We should get home."

Rosie pouted a little. "Do we have to?"

"If you wake up sleepy tomorrow, your parents will get suspicious." Creek pulled Rosie to her feet. "Come on. Let's go."

Rosie reluctantly allowed Creek to lead her back towards Troll Grove. "Do you think we'll ever be able to tell my parents about us?"

"I don't know." Creek shrugged. "Poppy probably won't mind, but Branch might kill me."

"Why is he so mad at you?" Rosie asked.

"He hates me for my betrayal. And I think it stretches deeper than that. He seems to take it very personally for some reason." Creek said. "He and I both competed for Poppy's love, and he won. I can respect that." He took Rosie's hand in his and gave it a kiss. "I love you, and only you. Your dad just can't see that I've changed. He's stubborn."

"Well, where do you think I get it?" Rosie laughed. "But, you know, we have to tell him sooner or later."

"I vote later, for now." Creek said. "Trust me. Branch will never approve."

Rosie couldn't argue with that. Her father would absolutely flip if he found out about them. She moved closer to Creek and rested her head on his shoulder.

When they reached the entrance to Troll Grove, the two shared one more kiss before returning to their homes. Every pod was dark and the entire grove was quiet, so they were confident no one ever saw them leave or return in the middle of the night.

But they were wrong.

Cooper tended to stay up late anyway, and he knew the two teens snuck out late at night to go out into the forest. Cooper would even follow them from time to time to make sure nothing happened to them. For the most part, he would just stay awake and make sure they made it home. He still hadn't told anyone about Creek and Rosie's relationship. How could he? He just couldn't tell Branch or Poppy or anyone that Rosie and Creek fell in love. The trolls accepted the New Creek, and welcomed him warmly. They wouldn't mind that Rosie started a relationship with him. Rosiepuff, Peppy, and Cybil would be delighted, no doubt. Poppy wouldn't mind, probably.

It was Branch whom Cooper worried about most.

 _Regardless of the circumstances—age, gender, whatever—love is love._ Cooper thought to himself as he went to bed. _What Creek and Rosie have is true love, and I can't argue with that. But if Branch finds out, he will go absolutely ballistic._

* * *

 _Rosiepuff pushed open the door leading from the bedroom to the living room of her pod home. She scanned the room, tapping her foot. She saw her husband reading a book on the couch. But she didn't see the certain little boy who still needed a bath. It didn't take long to hear giggling from behind the couch._

 _Rosiepuff grinned. "Oaken, I can't seem to find our grandson. Have you seen him?"_

 _Oaken pursed his lips in a failed attempt to hide his smile. "Oh, you know, I haven't seen him."_

 _Rosiepuff hummed to herself. "I wonder where he could have gone."_

 _Little Branch, still hidden behind the couch, covered his mouth with his hands to muffle his laughter. He peered out, but blinked in surprise to see his grandmother seemed to have disappeared._

" _Gotcha!"_

 _Branch squealed in surprise when Rosiepuff lifted him up and began tickling him. The three-year-old laughed and squirmed, his attempts to get free in vain. Rosiepuff held him close and kissed his head. Branch hugged her in return._

" _What's this I hear about you not wanting a bath?" Oaken chuckled, standing and catching Branch when the boy jumped towards him._

" _I'm too big for baths!" Branch declared. "I'm big and strong, like you!"_

" _Even the biggest and strongest trolls need a bath now and then." Oaken said._

" _Especially you." Rosiepuff teased. Oaken let out a hearty laugh and used his free arm to pull his wife in for a kiss. Branch stuck out his tongue in disgust and covered his eyes._

 _A knock at the door interrupted the family moment, and Oaken went to answer it with Branch still in one arm. "Hello?" Oaken called as he opened the door._

 _Rosiepuff gasped when black clouds burst into the pod. In seconds, the clouds swallowed Oaken and Branch whole._

" _Grandma!" Branch screamed._

" _Branch! Oaken!" Rosiepuff stared in horror as the black clouds swirled closer and closer to her._

" _Come back." Blackwood's voice echoed around her. "Time to come back, my dear. Come home."_

* * *

Rosiepuff swallowed after she finished describing her nightmare. "Then I woke up. I couldn't even fall back asleep. I was too afraid of another nightmare or seeing Blackwood burst through my front door."

Peppy's eyebrows furrowed in concern. He and Rosiepuff sat on one of the exposed roots of the Troll Tree. "That sounds horrible." Peppy murmured.

"Yeah." Rosiepuff shrugged. She stared off into space. "It's like I'm just waiting for the next time Blackwood strikes again."

Peppy smiled a little and slid off the tree root. "Come on. Come with me to talk with the farmers in the fields. Take your mind off things."

Rosiepuff thought about it, and then hopped down. "I like that idea. Let's go."

Sighing mutely in relief, Peppy started walking towards the crop fields. Rosiepuff stayed right next to him, so close that strands of his wild mane brushed against her neatly combed hair. He felt heat rising in his face, but he shook it off when they arrived at the fields.

"Good morning, King Peppy!" one of the trolls greeted, brushing off his overalls.

"Good morning, Ben." Peppy nodded in greeting. "How do the crops look?"

"Great!" Ben looked out over the crops. "They're growing well and the harvest looks like it will be plenty."

Peppy nodded, humming to himself in thought. He looked to a patch of dirt nearby, set in rows like the crops. "What are those?"

"Well, by the time of the harvest, they'll be pretty flowers." Ben said. "Nice, big ones too. We're sending them to King Gristle and Queen Bridget. You know, like a 'sorry for your loss' mixed with 'good luck on your next baby.' It was Queen Poppy's idea."

"That's my girl." Peppy said proudly. "Thank you, Ben." The farmer troll nodded and went back to the crops while Peppy and Rosiepuff made their way to the little flower field. Then, Rosiepuff's foot hit a muddy spot, and she slipped. Peppy was quick to grab her wrist and pull her back up again, hooking an arm around her waist to keep her from falling.

Rosiepuff sighed in relief. "Nice catch."

"Thanks." Peppy grinned. He and Rosiepuff heard a small child cooing, and they glanced over to see a little troll girl with her mother, watering the flower seeds.

"Mommy, that's so cute!" the girl said, pointing to Peppy and Rosiepuff. That's when the two of them realized Peppy had yet to let go, and their faces were so close together that their noses brushed. Rosiepuff and Peppy straightened up, both of them blushing.

"Tulip, it's not nice to point." The mother of the girl scolded gently.

"Sorry, Mommy." Tulip said. "But they look like the prince and princess in my storybook!"

Peppy felt his entire face growing hot now. Rosiepuff laughed as she approached the child and knelt down in front of her. "Thank you, sweetheart. Tulip, right?"

"Yep!" Tulip nodded so rigorously that her curly red hair whipped around crazily. "I'm helping my mommy water the flowers!"

"You're doing a very good job." Rosiepuff mused. "What a big girl you are."

"I'm this many!" Tulip held up four fingers.

"What?" Rosiepuff gasped. "Why, you're practically all grown up!" Tulip giggled madly. She began showing Rosiepuff how carefully she used the watering can to give the flowers their drinks.

Tulip's mother stepped closer to Peppy. "It truly amazes me how good she is with kids. I watch her with the little ones and even the teenagers, and she can handle anything without getting frazzled. It's incredible, really."

Peppy watched Rosiepuff chat with Tulip, a smile on her lips and her laugh almost musical. "Yeah…incredible….."

* * *

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the air steadily became cooler, and the trolls started heading to their homes for supper. Branch and Poppy sat on a tree limb, watching the sunset and relaxing after such a busy day.

Poppy rested her head on Branch's shoulder. Branch kissed her head in response and chuckled. "What?" Poppy asked.

"Just admiring your hair." Branch shrugged. "Flowers must be too afraid to bloom in your presence." He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "And the stars have no need to shine when your freckles and eyes sparkle like they do."

Poppy laughed with a blush. "Where was this poetry when we were kids?"

"Where else?" Branch snorted. "Hidden in journals I stashed in my bunker."

"That's okay. Dad still has all my old scrapbooks on a shelf in his library. Even my worst ones." Poppy said. "Speaking of my dad, have you noticed he and your grandma are spending a lot of time together?"

"Yeah. She seems really happy with him. You know, them being such good friends and all." Branch said.

Poppy nodded. "But, is it just me, or do they act like they're more than friends?"

Branch thought about it. "What, like they're in love?"

"Come on, as if you haven't noticed that look Dad gives her." Poppy said. She glanced down to another tree branch, and she gasped. "Look! There they are now!"

Branch looked down, and he saw his grandmother and godfather walking together as Peppy escorted Rosiepuff home. There was a certain look in Rosiepuff's eyes that Branch hadn't seen since his grandfather was still alive. "I guess they might be in love. Maybe a little."

"I think it's sweet." Poppy said. "They look adorable together."

"Well, let's not get too excited. It might be nothing." Branch shrugged. "I mean, I wouldn't mind them being together. Of course, your dad would be lucky if my grandma accepted a date from him."

Poppy raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean? My dad's not good enough for your grandma?"

"Of course not." Branch assured. "My grandma is just too good for your dad."

Poppy scoffed. "As if! Maybe my dad is too good for your grandma!"

"Not likely. My grandma is amazing." Branch bragged.

"My dad is better." Poppy argued. "My dad raised me all by himself."

"My grandma can cook things besides pastries."

"My dad can play guitar."

"My grandma can knock someone out with a single punch."

"My dad is a king."

"Oh, now you're going _there_ with this argument? That's how you want to play this?" He and Poppy could barely continue with how hard they were laughing.

"They don't know we can hear them." Rosiepuff guessed with an amused smile.

"Nope. And that makes this all the more fun." Peppy chuckled.

"Should we say something?" Rosiepuff asked.

"Leave it to me." Peppy raised his voice. "Branch! I want you to know that I think your grandmother is a delightful woman!"

Branch and Poppy went silent, freezing in their spots when they realized they were caught.

"And Poppy, I think your father is simply charming." Rosiepuff added.

"He started it!" Poppy yelped, darting away.

" _She_ started it!" Branch chased after her.

Peppy and Rosiepuff laughed all the way to her home. "Kids." Rosiepuff rolled her eyes.

"Yeah." Peppy nodded slowly. "Do you really think I'm charming?"

Rosiepuff raised an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

"What?" Peppy shrugged. "I meant what I said. You're a very delightful person and I enjoy your company."

Rosiepuff blushed a little. "Well, thank you. Then, to answer your question, I have to say that you haven't changed a bit since your younger days. Which means, yes, you are still quite charming."

Peppy grinned almost with pride. "Thank you."

"That being said, you're also a total doofus." Rosiepuff added. "Full of boyish idiocy."

"I am not!" Peppy pouted a little. "And what do you mean by 'boyish idiocy'?"

"Two words: mudball fight." Rosiepuff said, pushing open the door to her pod.

"How was that idiotic?" Peppy demanded.

"Two more words, then: against Oaken." Rosiepuff said.

Peppy nodded. "Okay, yes. That was dumb. I should've known he would win."

"Yes, you should've." Rosiepuff said. She stared at the ground for a moment, and then giggled softly.

"What?" Peppy asked.

"Nothing." Rosiepuff shrugged. "It's not always easy to think about Oaken, or anyone whom I've lost over the years. But when I talk about him with you, I actually feel….happy. Is that strange?"

Peppy grinned. "Not at all."

Rosiepuff seemed relieved by that. "Well, thank you. This was a happier day because of you."

"My pleasure. If you have any other problems with nightmares, you know where I live."

Rosiepuff nodded, both in understanding and gratitude. "Goodnight, Peppy."

"Goodnight." Peppy turned and headed for his own pod home. He put a hand to his racing heart, feeling like someone pounded on it like a drum. The smile on his lips refused to go away. He was still confused, though.

As Peppy settled in his chair with a cup of tea, he pulled out one of his older scrapbooks and started flipping through it. This book was full of moments from his youth, capturing his days spent with his brother, his best friend, and the women in his life like Rosiepuff. Soon after becoming friends with her, Peppy became friends with several other trolls, including his future wife, Joy. Peppy ended up spending much more time amongst his people instead of being cooped up in the royal pod like his father wanted.

Peppy stared at a picture of him and Rosiepuff during a holiday party. Joy had taken the picture, catching Peppy and Rosiepuff standing below a small string of mistletoe. Peppy could even see Oaken in the background, laughing like a maniac. Thanks to their blushing, Peppy's and Rosiepuff's faces were dark in the picture. They never did kiss under that mistletoe; however, later that night, Rosiepuff secretly kissed Peppy's cheek before she went home. Peppy could almost feel that kiss now.

 _So many moments together, so many chances missed._ He sighed, setting the book aside. He took up his guitar, plucking absent-mindedly at the strings. As his mind wandered back to Rosiepuff—and back to the memories they shared and the feelings in his heart—his fingers began to play an actual song almost against his will.

 _Maybe it was your eyes that always shine  
Made me think your heart would always be mine  
Your laugh would make my stomach do flips  
Man, I wish I hadn't missed out on that kiss_

 _Don't you know that I love you?  
Can't you see how I light up  
every time you walk into the room?  
At night I dream you'll stay  
Be by my side every step of the way  
Would you say yes?  
Would you wear that ring?  
Would you stay with me?  
I wish I hadn't lost that moment with you_

* * *

" _Stop moping, Brother." Malcolm said, shoving Peppy playfully. "You're supposed to be accompanying my piano-playing."_

 _Peppy sighed as he stopped strumming his guitar. "Sorry."_

" _Still thinking about your little spat with Rosiepuff yesterday?" Oaken guessed. He had been playing an ocarina during their music practice._

" _It wasn't a spat. It was just an attempt to comfort her gone wrong." Peppy said._

" _I told you to leave her alone, especially since yesterday is the anniversary of….well, you know." Malcolm said._

 _The anniversary to which Malcolm referred was the day Rosiepuff's friend Eclipse was banished. Four years ago, a group of Bergens made it past Eclipse's traps and the troll guards, and they attacked the Troll Tree. While everyone else panicked, Oaken, Peppy, and Malcolm rallied some of the trolls to help fight off the Bergens. But they were quickly overpowered, and would've died had Eclipse not stepped up. She revealed her magic to the kingdom by using it to drive the Bergens away. Instead of thanking her, King Wolfrick branded her as an evil witch and had Eclipse banished. Rosiepuff, understandably, had been devastated. Cybil and Joy were constantly by her side following Eclipse's banishment. To make things worse, the Bergens attacked again a year later. With Eclipse gone, her traps were no longer in effect, and the Bergens swooped in for a sneak attack to trap the Troll Tree and most of the trolls inside. A small group of trolls barely managed to escape and disappeared into the forest. The remaining Troll Tree trolls were forced to watch the Bergens build their kingdom around their home and begin a terrifying new tradition: Trollstice._

 _Peppy sighed. When he had tried to comfort Rosiepuff in her time of distress, they ended up in a shouting match (including Rosiepuff blaming him for not doing enough to stop Eclipse's exile), which just ended in them tiredly apologizing and parting ways. "I just wanted to help. She's always upset on this day."_

" _Or were you using Eclipse's banishment as an excuse to be near her again?" Oaken asked with a raised eyebrow. "Come on, Peppy. Malcolm and I both know you've been trying to get closer to her for a while now."_

" _So what?" Peppy scoffed. "Is it wrong to be in love?"_

" _Isn't she a lot older than you?" Oaken pointed out._

" _Yeah, she's like, what? Five, maybe seven years older than you? Or is she ten or twenty years older than you?" Malcolm teased._

" _She is not ten or twenty years older than me." Peppy droned. "And who cares if she's older than me? Love does not discriminate by age."_

 _Malcolm and Oaken exchanged thoughtful looks. "I guess you're right. I know a guy in his forties who fell in love with a girl in her twenties. That worked out all right." Oaken said._

" _And Father once married a woman in her thirties to a boy who was nineteen." Malcolm added._

" _There, see?" Peppy huffed._

" _Look, all we're saying is that maybe Rosiepuff would want to marry someone more mature." Malcolm said. "Like me."_

" _Or someone more roguishly handsome, like me." Oaken said._

" _Oh stop that." Peppy rolled his eyes._

" _Yes, when has she ever called you 'roguishly handsome'?" Malcolm asked._

" _I overheard her tell it to Joy yesterday!" Oaken declared. "And that Joy woman had some nice things to say about you, Peppy."_

 _Peppy shrugged with a small grin. "Yeah. She's nice. I like Joy."_

" _Father likes her too." Malcolm noted. "Heck, he might even have you two betrothed."_

 _Peppy's grin morphed to a frown. "Don't even joke about that. The way he talked to her yesterday, complimenting her on her 'queenly qualities'? I thought I would die from embarrassment."_

" _Have no fear, Baby Brother." Malcolm chuckled. "He'll be singing a different tune tomorrow."_

" _Why?" Peppy asked suspiciously. "What's happening tomorrow?"_

" _Well, we're having that concert tomorrow for the All Hallows' Eve celebration, remember?" Malcolm explained. "And yesterday, Father embarrassed Oaken by criticizing his poor swordsmanship skills, which I thought were exemplary."_

" _Thank you." Oaken said proudly._

" _So, to get revenge, I will be playing a little trick on Father during his speech before the concert tomorrow." Malcolm declared._

 _Peppy and Oaken shared a look this time, one of concern. "Um, Brother?" Peppy piped up. "How is that a good idea?"_

" _It's about time someone stood up to Father. And if I do it, he won't hate it as much." Malcolm said._

" _I think there's a limit to what you can do when you're the favorite son." Oaken said._

" _Father doesn't have a favorite son." Malcolm waved a hand dismissively._

" _Yes, he does, and it's you." Peppy sighed. "What exactly is this trick you're going to do?"_

 _Malcolm grinned mischievously. "Oh, you'll see."_

* * *

 _The trolls celebrated all their holidays, even when prisoners to the Bergens. Celebrating the holidays helped them stay happy and positive. Besides, when they celebrated All Hallows' Eve (or Troll-o'-ween, as the kids liked to call it), their scary antics tended to frighten the Bergens away from the cage around the Troll Tree. As usual, the celebration included a concert, this one full of spooky songs and creative costumes. Half of the spotlights were full of flasher bugs, a type of firefly whose lights acted like strobe lighting._

 _Malcolm, Peppy, and Oaken sat on a small platform where the royal family took their seats for concerts. Wolfrick insisted the royal family get the best view, and be higher than the other trolls. Peppy and Oaken found the concept of constantly being higher than the other trolls ridiculous. Still, they couldn't argue with Wolfrick; nobody could argue with the semi-tyrannical king of the trolls. So Peppy and Malcolm plopped themselves down on their mini-thrones while Oaken sat on the edge of the platform._

" _I'm telling you, Malcolm, you should stop this while you have the chance." Peppy urged._

" _You'll be changing your tune when you see what happens to Father." Malcolm snickered._

" _I'm a little conflicted, myself." Oaken admitted. "I want to see what you have in mind, but I also agree with Peppy in that this could end badly."_

" _Don't worry." Malcolm assured. "I timed it to match with Father's speech. When he's done talking, he's in for quite a surprise."_

" _Shh!" Peppy hissed as King Wolfrick took the stage._

" _Welcome, one and all, to the All Hallows' Eve celebration!" Wolfrick called out to the trolls. "It's another season of spooks and scares, all in good fun, of course. We live in a time of fear now, what with our new neighbors being rather…..unpleasant."_

" _He calls Bergens eating a handful of us every year 'unpleasant'?" Oaken scoffed._

" _Understatement of the century." Peppy agreed._

" _But let us look on the bright side of all this." Wolfrick encouraged. "Let us learn to adapt and live with our new lifestyle. Besides, we can use those new fears to fuel our frightening festivities! And so, without further ado, I present our All Hallows' Eve concert!" The trolls clapped politely as Wolfrick descended from the stage._

 _Peppy hummed in thought. "That was shorter than what he had been rehearsing lately."_

" _Oh no." Malcolm's face lost much of its color._

" _What?" Oaken asked._

" _I timed the prank on Father's speech, but he cut it short!" Malcolm gasped._

" _Well, there's no need to panic." Oaken said. "Maybe the trick will work with the opening act. Might even make it better. Who's the first act?"_

 _Peppy looked onstage and, this time, his face lost its color. "Rosiepuff. It's Rosiepuff! Abort! Abort!"_

" _There is no abort." Malcolm gulped._

" _What?!" Oaken demanded. "How could there be no abort?"_

" _I made a boo-boo!" Malcolm snapped._

" _We have to stop this!" Peppy urged as the music started for Rosiepuff's performance. Suddenly, the lights went out on the stage and the music from the Wooferbug came to a stop._

" _Oh snap." Malcolm gulped._

" _This way!" Oaken urged, leading Malcolm and Peppy around the audience._

 _For the occasion and her song, Rosiepuff wore a black dress and a little witch's hat pinned in her hair. It was also partly to mock Wolfrick regarding his reason for banishing Eclipse. Rosiepuff readied herself for her song. But she was surprised when the sound of a record scratching interrupted her music, and something that sounded sinister played from the Wooferbug. The lights with the flasher bugs came on, and the strobe lighting made everything look surreal and disjointed. Rosiepuff felt something stringy and a little sticky fall over her, and she saw spider webs on her arms and dress. A shadow came over her, and Rosiepuff's eyes traveled upwards to the tarantapuff coming towards her. She let out a terrified scream, backing away from the monstrous spider until she fell off the stage. Rosiepuff gasped in pain when she felt something pop in her shoulder, and she continued to scoot away from the terrifying spider._

 _Behind the stage, Malcolm pointed to the spider and the ropes that lowered it over the stage. He, Peppy, and Oaken threw their hair forward and grabbed the top of the fake tarantapuff. They yanked the spider back and away from the audience. The puppet landed on the Wooferbug, abruptly stopping the music. Some of the other trolls turned on the rest of the lights._

" _A fake spider and webs?" Peppy growled at Malcolm._

" _I thought it would freak out Father! That's all." Malcolm said._

" _Well, instead you royally freaked out Rosiepuff!" Oaken snapped. "Who, by the way, has arachnophobia!"_

" _Really?" Malcolm blinked in surprise. "I didn't know that."_

" _Obviously." Peppy droned. The men looked out from their hiding spot behind the stage and saw Cybil and Joy running to Rosiepuff to help her stand. The trolls were quiet for a moment. Then, Birch began laughing. Slowly, the other trolls joined in, believing it all to be a joke. Only Birch showed his meanness in his laughter, casting a nasty smirk to Rosiepuff._

 _In response, Rosiepuff marched up to him and punched him squarely in the jaw using her non-injured arm. Birch fell backwards over his chair, and the other trolls promptly shut up._

" _Do you really think that's funny, you mangy little pile of crocodile dung?!" Rosiepuff screamed._

" _Miss Rosiepuff, do calm yourself." Wolfrick said. Rosiepuff froze and stared at him incredulously. Wolfrick waved a hand dismissively. "Your reaction is completely uncalled for. This was all just a playful joke. And a rather funny one, at that." He chuckled, inciting a few nervous laughs from the other trolls. "So do be calm, my lady. Either continue your performance or go see a doctor for your fall, but please hold your temper for a more reasonable moment."_

 _Rosiepuff's eyes blazed with her justifiable fury. But she inhaled shakily and forced herself to calm down. She gently clutched her dislocated shoulder. "You are right, my king. I apologize for my outburst. If you would excuse me, I must tend to my injury. Please enjoy the rest of the concert." She turned on her heel and marched off. Cybil and Joy cast disapproving looks to Wolfrick before following their friend._

 _Oaken jogged after Rosiepuff. "No,_ I _have to be the one to go after her!" Malcolm snapped, trying to stop Oaken._

 _Peppy grabbed Malcolm by the shoulder and yanked him back. Oaken disappeared from sight. "No, you need to stay away from her."_

" _But she needs to know how sorry I am!" Malcolm protested._

" _If she finds out you're responsible for that little 'joke,' she'll hate you." Peppy countered. "So we're going to leave her alone."_

" _You're not going to leave her alone. You're just trying to stop me from going so that you can go after her yourself." Malcolm accused._

" _I am not!" Peppy denied._

" _Yes you are, you hypocrite!" Malcolm hissed. "Our little competition for her hand should be done fairly. You're plotting against me to get closer to her."_

" _No, I'm not!" Peppy growled. "I'm trying to think about what's best for her. Right now, she wants to be alone."_

" _Yeah, that's the problem." Malcolm said. "Rosiepuff always wants to be alone. She always wants to stew in her own misery. But what she wants isn't always what she needs. She needs someone to be there for her."_

 _Peppy sighed. "What if she hates me for interfering?"_

" _Interfering?" Malcolm repeated. "Okay, Peppy, get over it. You keep avoiding the problem when it comes to her. You act like everything will be fine if you leave her alone. But you can't keep thinking like that; you can't keep putting it off. I've been putting off something I wanted to do for a long time, and I finally set a deadline for myself. By the end of that deadline, I will do the thing I've wanted to do for years. In your case, you need to talk Rosiepuff by tomorrow or you may lose a friend."_

 _Peppy stared in the direction Oaken left. "Let's leave her be tonight. She's been through enough. I'll talk to her tomorrow. I promise."_

 _Malcolm nodded in satisfaction. "Okay. Let her know I'm here for her too. She can come to me whenever she likes. Meanwhile, I'm going to find Father and scold him as best I can. He'll listen to me."_

" _Yeah. He always does." Peppy agreed. "Thanks, Brother." Malcolm nodded in response and walked off._

 _Again, Peppy looked in the direction Oaken and Rosiepuff left. Whether or not Malcolm meant it that way, Peppy realized he shouldn't put off admitting to Rosiepuff his feelings for her. He had to tell her right now. He delayed it long enough. She needed to know. Peppy snuck off and headed in the direction where Rosiepuff disappeared. He saw Cybil and Joy on their way back to the concert, and they pointed him in the direction of their friend. Peppy hurried away, and he rounded the Troll Tree, arriving at a collection of mushrooms sitting amongst the roots of the tree. He finally spotted Rosiepuff…_

… _.with her lips locked onto Oaken's in a tender kiss._

 _Peppy skidded to a halt and silently ducked behind one of the Troll Tree roots. He peered over the edge of the root and stared at the two trolls. Yes, Oaken kissed Rosiepuff. And, yes, she kissed him back. She was, dare Peppy say it, enjoying it. Who knows how long they had been in this position? But when they broke apart, they both breathed a little heavily. Oaken lovingly gazed into Rosiepuff's eyes, brushing a few stray hairs from her face._

 _It was then Peppy realized he intruded enough. He silently slunk away._

* * *

She has to know. _Peppy told himself as he marched towards Rosiepuff's pod the next day._ She deserves to know. I don't care what Oaken told her or what happened last night. I'm going to tell her or may I get snatched at the next Trollstice! I'll throw myself right into the Bergens' pot if I don't do this! _He knocked hurriedly on the door to Rosiepuff's home. His eyes widened. "Wait, what am I doing?!"_

 _Before he could run away, Rosiepuff opened the door and gasped when she saw him. "Peppy! Just the troll I wanted to see!"_

" _Really?" Peppy perked up._

" _Yes, come in!" Rosiepuff yanked him inside by the collar of his shirt._

" _I need to tell you something." Rosiepuff and Peppy said simultaneously._

 _Rosiepuff giggled madly, covering her mouth with her hands. "Sorry, you go first."_

" _No, no, you first." Peppy insisted. He was a little surprised by how giddy Rosiepuff was at the moment. He never saw her so animated before._

" _Are you sure?" Rosiepuff giggled again. "I'm sorry, I'm just so insanely excited and I can't even handle all this happiness!"_

" _Well don't keep it to yourself!" Peppy laughed. "What is it?"_

 _Rosiepuff giggled a little more. "Oaken asked me to marry him!"_

" _Really?" Peppy asked excitedly. Then he realized something. "Wait, what?"_

" _Yes! Last night!" Rosiepuff's voice went up so many octaves she sounded squeaky. "He darted after me when I left, popped my dislocated shoulder back into place, and I thought I was going to kill him! And then he kissed me! He poured his heart out to me. Oh, the words he spoke. They were pure poetry! And then, he actually asked me to marry him! Right then and there!"_

" _Right then and there?" Peppy repeated, still in shock._

" _Yes!" Rosiepuff did a little spin. "I mean, he had been courting me for a while, but he hadn't talked to me in several days, so I thought he gave up."_

 _Peppy remembered something was missing from this story. "And…what did you say to him?"_

" _Well, I said 'yes!'" Rosiepuff said. "I think I really do want to marry him!" She rubbed the back of her neck anxiously. "Did I rush into this?"_

" _Um, maybe?" Peppy cleared his throat. "Tell me this: do you love him?"_

" _Yes." Rosiepuff said without hesitation. She gently hugged herself, rubbing her arms. "When he held me in his arms, I felt….safe….like I could let go and not worry about anything, be it the Bergens or my worst nightmares."_

 _Peppy looked down. "Rosiepuff…..that is…..so wonderful….."_

 _Rosiepuff smiled at him. "Really? I'm not rushing into this?"_

" _No way!" Peppy scoffed. "Are you kidding? I am so happy for you!" He enveloped her in a warm hug._

" _Thank you, Peppy. You're the first one I've told." Rosiepuff said. "In fact, I was about to leave for the royal pod to tell you and Malcolm."_

" _Oh, I'll tell Malcolm." Peppy assured. "You should get ready! Start planning the wedding. I am ready to offer my assistance. In fact, I'll even officiate the ceremony!"_

 _Rosiepuff laughed. "Thank you, but I think I'll leave that job to your father. He is the king, after all. But there is one thing I would love you to do for me."_

" _Anything." Peppy said._

 _Rosiepuff took Peppy's hands in hers. "Walk with me down the aisle. Please." She blushed a little. "Cybil is pushing Oaken's mother's wheelchair so she can walk with him. But neither of my parents are around. My father isn't here to walk with me, so I want you to stand in his place. Won't you?"_

 _Peppy swallowed. This was a huge thing Rosiepuff asked of him. But how could he refuse? "Of course. I would be honored."_

 _Rosiepuff hugged him. "Thank you."_

 _Peppy only nodded. He blinked several times as hot tears built up behind his eyes. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go find Cybil and Joy and tell them the news!"_

" _Yes, of course!" Rosiepuff squealed with glee, practically skipping to the door. "Oh! I almost forgot! You had something to tell me, too."_

" _Oh, it's not important." Peppy said._

" _No, come on. Tell me." Rosiepuff encouraged._

 _Peppy chuckled nervously. "I just wanted….your permission…to, uh, court Joy. I think I might be in love with her."_

" _Oh, Peppy. That's wonderful." Rosiepuff sighed blissfully. "Yes, go right ahead! Good luck."_

" _Thanks." Peppy watched Rosiepuff hurry away, laughing in her excitement. When she disappeared, Peppy let his shoulders slump in his depression. The door opened again, and Peppy straightened up in case it was Rosiepuff._

 _Instead, Oaken stepped into the pod, shutting the door behind him. He stared at Peppy. "You love her. You actually love her."_

 _Peppy knew "her" referred to Rosiepuff, which means Oaken must've heard their entire conversation. He shrugged. "Yeah. So do you."_

" _But if I had known….I mean, I didn't think you would actually propose—" Oaken ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, I'll back off. You marry her."_

" _No, you proposed first. You're going to marry her." Peppy said._

" _But I didn't think you were actually in love with her. I didn't know if you knew what love was, especially since you said you liked Joy too. If I had known—"_

" _Why would that make a difference? You win. You get to marry her."_

" _She's not a prize at the ring toss, Peppy."_

" _Stop arguing with me, Oaken."_

 _Oaken growled in frustration. "You love her. You truly love her with all your heart."_

" _And so do you." Peppy said. "You're going to be a great husband to her."_

" _But Peppy—"_

 _Peppy suddenly grabbed Oaken roughly by the shoulders. "Marry her, Oaken! As your prince, I order you to marry her like you originally planned. Make her happy, and I know you will, because I will never be the husband she needs. You are the only one who could ever get through that wall to her heart, so clearly you're the best guy for her." Peppy sighed, lowering his arms. "Besides, my father would never approve of her and I getting married."_

" _Why not?" Oaken demanded. "Not that his opinion matters when it comes to who you love, but why would he not approve of Rosiepuff? She would make a good queen."_

" _I don't know why my father doesn't approve. I don't really care right now." Peppy said. "Oaken, please. I don't want to get in the way of your happiness. Marry the woman you love, and let's move on with our lives."_

 _Oaken looked down. "As you wish, my friend."_

 _Peppy shrugged. "Hey, don't worry about me. I really am going to court Joy. She'll make a wonderful wife and queen, and my father_ does _approve of her."_

" _I really don't care what your father approves of." Oaken said. "As long as you're happy."_

 _Peppy smiled genuinely this time. "Joy will be a wonderful wife. I bet you anything she and I will fall in love just as easily as you and Rosiepuff did."_

" _You called that easy?" Oaken snorted, causing laughter between him and Peppy._

* * *

 **A/N: Was that cute enough for you? Answer some questions? Maybe raises new questions? Anyway, I'm updating today because I'm going out of town beginning of next week. I'll update again when I get back.**

 **Another original song/poem from me in this chapter! What did you think?**


	23. Branch Blows His Top

**A/N: I didn't realize at the time, but it turns out this story has more romance than I thought it would. Going to have to change the genre. :D Still, I got a lot of compliments from you guys on how I write romance, so thank you!**

 **And, yes, I am okay. I know some of you were freaked out after the Vegas shooting since I mentioned I was going to be out of town. I was actually way up north, far away from that horrific event. Anyone who was there or who had a loved one there, stray strong and stay positive. "Get Back Up Again," right? :D**

 **LivvyLeopard – I have not forgotten my other stories. I'm just on a roll with this one. :D And thank you for the compliment!**

 **Guest – I can assure you that Peppy did love Joy. And that will be discussed more in another chapter!**

 **Tomboyfriend – I had to tease the Peppy/Rosiepuff affection in their flashbacks, because I would have to write an entirely new story to show how that relationship progressed.**

 **TheSnackPack – Uh…...you might be getting that answer sooner than you think.**

 **Feanwen – Perhaps I will. Then you all can listen to the music! Yeah, I wasn't a huge fan of the "Boop" either. To answer your question: I will publish Kung Fu Troll sooner than expected, and I already have a name picked out for Rosie's sibling.**

 **Trigger warning: dealing with a heavy subject later in this chapter. Remember Branch's dream about jumping in the river?**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Three – Branch Blows His Top**

A whole month.

He kept it a secret for a whole month, hoping maybe it would just go away. Of course, he was foolish to think that. Those two were soulmates. He just couldn't deny it.

After keeping such a huge secret for so long, Cooper decided he had to tell somebody. Specifically, he had to tell Poppy.

Now, Cooper did think this through. He couldn't tell one of the Snack Pack, especially not one of the gossiping fashionista twins. If one of them knew, the entire village would know by the end of the day. It didn't really matter if Peppy, Rosiepuff, or Cybil knew. In fact, they might already know, and are probably delighted. When Branch finds out, he's going to throttle Creek. But Poppy was Rosie's mother and Creek's friend. Above anyone else, Poppy deserved to know. Besides, she might be able to calm her husband.

Cooper approached the royal pod and knocked politely. Poppy answered the door. "Hey Cooper!" the pink troll greeted with a great, big smile. "How nice to see you!"

"Great to see you too, Poppy." Cooper said. "Uh, where are Branch and Rosie?"

"Oh, Rosie went with Dad and Rosiepuff to have lunch with Gristle and Bridget." Poppy said, ushering Cooper inside. "Branch is out flying Symphony. They won't be back for a while."

"Good. Because I have something really important to talk to you about." Cooper said.

Poppy stared at Cooper in surprise. She never heard such a serious tone out of Cooper before. He was always a happy and fun-loving llama troll. "Come on. I'm baking cookies in the kitchen. Help me out while we talk."

Cooper nodded in agreement and followed Poppy into the kitchen. He got to work mixing the dry ingredients while Poppy worked with the wet ones. "This is a really weird thing I need to tell you, but you have to know…..it's about Rosie….."

Poppy paused in the middle of pouring the milk. "What about Rosie?"

"Well, she's…met someone…"

"Really?!" Poppy squealed excitedly.

"And it may or may not be the guy who sold us out in a past life and then disappeared and then came back and got his colors back and did a bunch of cool stuff and saved us from being killed and he's a teenager and he's a fighter now and he seems to be really in love with her but I just don't know if the entire thing is right or not because I know Branch will freak." Cooper panted, completely out of breath from his information dump.

Poppy stared at him in confusion. "I'm sorry, I didn't get any of that."

Cooper groaned in frustration. "Rosie and Creek are in love and they're dating behind our backs!"

Poppy's jaw dropped, and the glass measuring cup slipped from her hands. Cooper just managed to catch it and set it carefully on the counter. Poppy shook off her shock. "Wait. Rosie is in love with Creek? And they're dating? How do you know?"

"I saw them kiss last month, and I've been keeping an eye on them when they sneak out into the forest." Cooper explained. "They're actually hitting it off pretty well."

Poppy stared at the floor. "That's…I mean, that's just….awesome….." She smiled at last. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for them!"

"Really?" Cooper asked, surprised and relieved.

"Yes! This is great for them!" Poppy said in delight. Her face dropped to one of horror. "Oh my gosh. What are we going to tell Branch?"

"I don't know." Cooper admitted. "That's why I came to you first. You may have moved on and accepted Creek, but Branch hasn't. He's holding a major grudge against Creek, and I'm afraid of how he's going to react when he finds out Creek and Rosie are all lovey-dovey."

"Yeah, Branch will flip." Poppy moaned anxiously. "Maybe we can gently ease him into the situation."

"How do we ease into that conversation?" Cooper asked. "'Hey Branch! Guess what? Your daughter is dating a guy you totally hate! How about you _don't_ try and kill him!'"

"I know, that won't work." Poppy said. "But he's going to find out sooner or later."

 _BANG!_

Poppy and Cooper jumped when they heard something slam against the wall. They rushed out to the living room and saw the door to the pod wide open. The piano bench lay on the floor across the room.

"Uh oh." the two of them said simultaneously.

* * *

Creek hummed meditatively, his hands pressed against the side of Suki's Wooferbug. Biggie spooned that last few mouthfuls of soup broth into the musical bug's mouth. After a moment, Creek finished his meditation and energy-sharing, and he stepped away.

"Okay, Suki. Try it now." Creek said. "Your Wooferbug should feel much better."

Suki slowly climbed up onto the Wooferbug and tried playing the music. Unlike before—when the song came out screechy and disharmonic—the music played smoothly and near-perfectly. "Wonderful! I think he's doing much better."

"Just a little tummy ache. Exhaustion." Creek said. "Nothing some warm broth and energy-sharing can't fix."

"That's very cool, Creek." Guy Diamond said. "How do you do that?"

"By aligning my chakra points with another's, I can give them some of my own energy, which makes them stronger." Creek explained. "You have to pay attention, though, or you might drain yourself by mistake."

"Well, thanks." Suki said, patting her Wooferbug as the animal scuttled away. "You're a great help, Creek."

Creek's shoulders slumped a little, almost in relief. "I'm glad."

"Hey, look!" Biggie pointed. "Branch is coming this way." The rest of the Pack glanced over and saw the blue king marching towards them. His glare locked onto Creek like a predator staring at prey.

"Oh great. Why is he glaring at me like that?" Creek moaned.

"Dunno. What'd you do this time?" Smidge asked.

"Who cares?" Creek scoffed. "Branch would blame me if a lightning bolt hit the Troll Tree and caught it on fire."

"Well, you didn't do anything wrong." Satin said reassuringly.

"So just greet Branch in a civil tone." Chenille added.

"Right." Creek exhaled, put on a smile, and turned as Branch approached. "Hello, Branch. How are you today?"

 _POW!_

The Snack Pack recoiled in shock, gasping collectively, when Branch's fist made contact with Creek's mouth. Creek fell to the ground, groaning in pain and holding his now-bleeding lip.

"Branch!" Suki stared at him incredulously. "What are you doing?"

Branch ignored the Snack Pack, still glaring at Creek. "You think you can mess with my daughter without me finding out? Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"

Creek stood and glared at Branch, a trickle of blood running down his chin. "How did you find out about us?"

"Find out about what?" Guy Diamond asked.

"Kept it a secret from them too, huh?" Branch said, his focus still on Creek. "You could trust Cooper with the secret but no one else?"

"I didn't know Cooper knew!" Creek snapped.

"Knew about what?" Smidge emphasized every word.

Creek sighed through his nose. "Fine. Yes, Branch, I am dating your daughter. We've been dating for over a month now. And, no, there is nothing you can do about it." By then, Poppy and Cooper caught up with Branch. But they could do nothing for now.

"You know what, Creek? I have had it up to here with you toying with my family." Branch growled. "First Poppy, then my grandmother, and now you think you can play with Rosie's feelings? I'm not going to stand here and watch you hurt her."

"I have no intention of hurting her." Creek assured. "I love her."

"No, you don't." Branch snapped, marching up closer to Creek. "You're just playing her. You'll hurt her, because that's all you know how to do. You're a pathetic, selfish, worthless troll who never should've come back here in the first place."

Suddenly, Creek snapped. He tackled Branch and sent both of them to the ground, where Branch retaliated with another firm punch to Creek's face. Poppy and the Snack Pack backed up a few steps, watching in shock as the boys grappled and wrestled viciously.

"Branch! Creek!" Poppy shouted. The boys either didn't hear her or ignored her, continuing to punch and kick each other on the ground.

"Half of you grab Branch, half of you grab Creek!" Cooper called. Nodding quickly, the friends got to work: Cooper, Poppy, Suki, and Guy Diamond grabbed Branch while Biggie, Satin, Chenille, and Smidge took hold of Creek's limbs. Fuzzbert wiggled his way between the two fighting trolls and pushed them apart, allowing the other Snack Pack members to yank them away from each other. Branch and Creek were bruised, bleeding, and disheveled from their fight, yet they still tried to lunge for each other.

"Let me at him!" Branch snarled. "Let me at him so I can kill him!"

"You're not going to kill anyone, Branch!" Poppy snapped. "Knock it off!"

"Come on, I can take it!" Creek growled, trying to twist out of his friends' grips. "Let me go!"

"Stop it, Creek!" Cooper ordered. "Branch, I was going to tell you the truth, but I knew you'd react this way!"

"Of course I would!" Branch growled. "You would too if your kid was dating a liar like him!" He glared at Creek. "You're not going anywhere near her ever again! You don't care about her. You only care about yourself. You're selfish!"

"Well you're one to talk about selfishness!" Creek yelled. "You're the most selfish troll I've ever met!"

"Me?!" Branch gawked. "How am I selfish?"

"Maybe you changed now; but when you were grey, you were the most selfish person in the entire village!" Creek shouted.

"Hey, I spent all my time trying to protect you guys!" Branch argued. "What you called 'delusional paranoia' was me trying to help!"

"Well what about helping yourself?" Creek demanded. "You're not the only troll to turn grey, but you're the first and only one to stay grey for so long. Why didn't you go to anyone for help?"

Branch looked down. His glare faltered. "I didn't need help."

"No, you didn't _want_ help." Creek managed to twist himself free, but he didn't jump in for another brawl. "Believe me, you needed help _badly_. When a troll turns grey, they have their family and friends to pull them back and bring their colors back. When you turned grey, you had so many trolls there for you. You had King Peppy and Cybil and the Snack Pack and Poppy. You had _me._ We used to be like brothers, but then you shut me out!"

"You gave up on me." Branch broke free too. He didn't lunge towards Creek, but he looked ready to.

"I got tired of you refusing my help." Creek corrected. "I didn't know what else to do for you, because every time I tried to help, you pushed me away. I tried to be there. I tried to be someone you could lean on, even when you didn't want it. I was there when you almost—" Creek paused, a lump in his throat. He swallowed, staring at Branch with a mix of anger and troubled. "How could you possibly do that to yourself?"

Branch's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Creek scoffed. "Like you don't know. I was there, Branch. I was there at that river, and I almost had to watch you die. How could you do that to me?"

 _What is he…._ Branch thought about it, and then it clicked in his head. "The river…no, that was a dream…that didn't happen…"

"Oh, it happened, Branch." Creek assured. "I was there. Why do you think you're still standing here?"

Branch's eyes widened a little. _He…..he was…..there?_

"I don't blame you for not remembering." Creek said. "The mind likes to block traumatic experiences, so you probably thought it was a dream all this time. But it wasn't. I remember it so vividly; and I remember how you pushed me and everyone else away for so long. I got tired of being pushed away. So, I figured that if you weren't going to accept my help, maybe you didn't need it. I left you alone. Maybe that was wrong, but tell me what else I was supposed to do for you."

Branch opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Creek sighed heavily, turned, and walked away. Everyone stared after him worriedly and confusedly. Branch stared at the ground, somewhat in shock.

"Branch, what is he talking about?" Poppy asked.

Branch stared off into space. "He saved my life." He turned and departed from the group of friends. The trolls exchanged glances, unsure what to do but glad the fight was over. None of them understood what Branch meant by that.

Branch wandered to a collection of mushrooms near the roots of the Troll Tree. He leaned against one and slid to the ground. Realization hit him like a tidal wave.

That night at the river….when Branch tried to kill himself…. _was not a dream._

* * *

" _I'm going to meet with my friends, Mother." Creek announced as he combed out his hair for the hundredth time. The teenage troll didn't want a single hair out of place when he was with Poppy._

" _You look very handsome." Cybil complimented. "I thought you and your friends were just having a sleepover."_

" _Well I want to look my best. Satin and Chenille's mother will be impressed." Creek said. He finally set down his comb, even when he fretfully adjusted his shirt and pants. "And I'm sure Poppy would like it if I didn't show up looking ruffled."_

" _Well I think you look wonderful. Now if you go out at all tonight, take care you don't go downstream and to the river." Cybil warned. "The rapids are strong. And wear your cloak. It's frightfully cold." She took a blue knitted cloak from the coat rack and buttoned it around Creek's shoulders. Creek slipped his arms through the holes on either side of the cloak. If his arms got cold, he could pull them in and wrap his cloak tighter around him. Cybil paused in adjusting the cloak and took a sniff. "Why do you smell like roses?"_

" _I thought your perfume was my cologne." Creek chuckled nervously. "But I don't have time to take a bath, so I hope Poppy doesn't mind."_

 _Cybil giggled softly. "I am sure she will be all right with it. Now off you go. Have fun."_

 _Creek hugged his surrogate mother and then bowed to her. Then he hurried out the door. He couldn't afford to be late. Tonight would be a night to spend as much time with Poppy as possible, even if they were with the rest of their friends._

 _Movement out of the corner of his eye made Creek freeze. He could've sworn he saw a shadow moving down the tree. Except the figure headed for the forest, where the shadows grew darker thanks to the clouds rolling in overhead. Creek didn't know who would be heading into the forest at night since it was so dangerous. Curious, he started following the figure. When he got close enough, Creek stared at the figure with his inner eye. The darkness would not let Creek see the departing troll, but Creek might be able to see who it was based on their aura._

 _Creek gasped softly. "Branch?" He could recognize that aura anywhere, be it blue or grey. "Where's he going?" Creek murmured. He started trailing after Branch. Why would the grey troll go into the forest in the middle of the night and all by himself? He was the one always warning the trolls about danger. Why disregard that for himself? Creek had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach._

 _Even though he couldn't see anything in the forest, Creek could see Branch's aura. So he would follow that and see what Branch was up to. Creek tried to just see Branch's aura and not feel it. The feeling of Branch's aura right now sent chills up and down Creek's spine. So much sadness and emptiness. It made Creek feel like something ate at his very heart and soul, and he had to wonder if that's how Branch felt all the time now that he was grey._

 _When Branch stopped, Creek still couldn't really see much. A gap of starlight appeared through the clouds, and Creek's eyes began to adjust. He heard rushing water, and he could see Branch's form standing on a rock above what must've been the river._

 _Branch's aura moved….he was going to jump!_

 _Creek lunged forward and grabbed Branch's hand. He pulled him back so quickly that they both stumbled backwards. Creek fell to a kneeling position, pulling Branch with him to save them from a nasty tumble down the rocks. Creek held Branch tightly, his heart still pounding from fear. If Branch had jumped, he'd be killed on the rocks downriver if he didn't drown first. Creek opened his mouth to scold Branch._

" _G-Grandma?"_

 _Creek froze. He tried to pull away and correct Branch, but the grey troll latched onto him like a snake constricting prey._

" _Don't go!" Branch pleaded. "Please, please don't go. Don't leave me. Please. I'll do anything." He kept muttering over and over again, and it broke Creek's heart._

He's delirious. _Creek sighed silently and embraced Branch again. If letting Branch believe Creek was his grandmother kept him from killing himself, Creek would go along with it. Creek rubbed Branch's back soothingly, and he began humming a lullaby Rosiepuff once sang for him when he was only a toddler. Branch's murmurs trailed off, and he slumped against Creek's chest as he fell asleep. Ever so gently, Creek hooked his arm under Branch's legs and lifted him up._

" _Time to go home, Mate." Creek sighed. "Have only good dreams tonight."_

* * *

"What?!" Rosie slapped her hands over her mouth when she realized she said that louder than she meant to. Luckily, she and Creek sat on the wall at the edge of Bergen Town, away from prying eyes and ears.

Creek stayed calm, despite Rosie's panic. "We both knew Branch would never approve. In fact, I think he really wanted to kill me when he found out."

"How did Cooper find out in the first place?" Rosie demanded.

"Apparently, he's known about everything. He followed you to protect you." Creek explained. "He told Poppy so that she could gently tell Branch, but that didn't work out like they planned."

"Of course it didn't." Rosie huffed. "Darn you, Dad, and your sensitive hearing."

"He reacted exactly the way we thought he would." Creek said.

"But why does that mean we have to separate?" Rosie demanded. "Why can't we keep sneaking out and seeing each other?"

"What's Branch going to do if he catches you?" Creek pointed out. "Now that he knows, he's going to be aware of you sneaking out."

"This isn't fair!" Rosie glared at the ground. She felt a little stupid now, complaining about how unfair this all was. But she relaxed when Creek put a hand to her cheek and raised her eyes to look at him.

"Rosie, this is my fault." Creek said. "I've mended ties with Poppy and the other trolls, but I should've done more when I realized earning Branch's forgiveness would be harder. Until he and I reach a sort of common ground, it would be best for both of us to discontinue our relationship. Just for a little while, until I can figure this all out."

Rosie sighed. She hated this idea, but she knew her father didn't approve right now. Maybe he would soon, just not now. She wrapped her arms around Creek's neck in a firm hug. Creek returned the embrace, kissing her head. "I love you." Rosie sighed.

"I love you too." Creek said.

* * *

Branch knocked hurriedly on his grandmother's pod. "Hey Grandma! I really need to talk to Rosie. Is she in there?"

Rosiepuff answered, and Branch cringed at the frown on her face. The elder troll crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "I heard you and Creek had a little….altercation."

"That's one way of putting it." Branch said. "Is Rosie in here?"

"She's spending the night here." Rosiepuff said.

"Great. Can I talk to her?" Branch requested as politely as he could.

Rosiepuff's stern expression softened, and she stepped aside to let Branch into her home. Branch found Rosie sitting on the couch, curled up in a ball. Rosiepuff disappeared into the kitchen while Branch sat next to his daughter. Branch twiddled his thumbs, glancing sideways to Rosie. The teenager didn't look at him. She just stared straight ahead.

"So I guess you know that I know, huh?" Branch guessed. Rosie didn't answer. Branch cleared his throat. "I want you to know that I wasn't just mad because it was Creek. You were in a relationship with him for over a month, and you didn't tell me. And it makes me wonder if you would've done the same thing if it were another guy you were dating. Makes me wonder if that means you don't trust me."

Rosie sighed. "Of course I trust you, Dad. I know you're just protective because you're….well, my dad."

Branch nodded. "Rosie, do you understand why I don't like Creek? Why I don't trust him?"

"Because you're holding onto a grudge." Rosie said. "You think he's going to betray us again."

"Yeah. That one act he committed so long ago sticks in my head, and that's all I can think about when I look at him." Branch swallowed. "But….recently….I discovered something….that makes me wonder if I still know him."

Rosie stared at him with surprise. "Really?"

"I don't know." Branch shrugged. "I need to figure it out. Until I figure it out, can you be patient with me? Can you _not_ date Creek until he and I can sort this all out?"

Rosie looked down, and then nodded. Branch sighed in relief, thankful his daughter didn't hate him.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yes?"

"There's something you need to know: Creek is dead."

"…..uh….."

"The Creek you know, the one you can't get out of your head, he's gone. He's been gone for a long time."

Branch nodded slowly. He kissed Rosie's head. "Be good for Grandma. I'll see you tomorrow." He stood and left the pod, and Rosie uncurled herself.

"Well that went better than I thought it would." Rosiepuff said, returning to the living room and sitting beside Rosie.

"I thought you were going to tear him a new one for the fight." Rosie pointed out.

"Well, let's see if he cools down some more by tomorrow." Rosiepuff shrugged. "I think he'll be all right." Rosie bobbed her head in agreement, her expression becoming sad. Rosiepuff hugged her. "Keep your chin up. This is one of those times where something is happening and there's not much you can do except wait out the storm."

Rosie leaned into Rosiepuff's embrace. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Take shelter and hunker down." Rosiepuff said.

* * *

Inhaling sharply, Branch shot upright as he jolted awake from his nightmare. He struggled to quiet his panting so he wouldn't wake Poppy beside him. Branch swung his legs over the edge of the bed and propped his elbows up on his knees, resting his head in his hands. His dream had been about the night he tried to kill himself. Except this time, there was nobody there to help him. No Rosiepuff, No Creek, nobody.

It still bothered Branch to know Creek saved his life when they were teenagers, and it wasn't a dream where his grandmother saved him. He was really just unsure how to react to the new information. Branch always thought Creek never cared, especially about him. But when Branch thought about it, Creek had always been there in their younger days. The boys' birthdays were close together, and they spent so much time together as toddlers. For several years after the trolls escaped Bergen Town, Creek continued to watch out for Branch and help him how he could. Maybe meditation and all that Zen stuff wasn't for Branch, but at least Creek tried. Ergo, Branch felt a sting of pain when Creek betrayed them. Perhaps that, ultimately, was why Branch couldn't let go and move on.

Poppy was betrayed by her then-boyfriend. Branch was betrayed by a brother.

Branch stood from the bed and opened the window to let in the fresh air. Dawn wasn't for another few hours. He shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths. When Branch opened his eyes again, he spotted a figure climbing up the Troll Tree. His eyebrows furrowed when he realized it was Creek. Suspicious (but mostly curious), Branch pulled on a pair of shorts over his boxers and slipped out of the pod. He followed Creek to the top of the Troll Tree, where Creek took his position on a small crow's nest. Creek sat atop the platform and started meditating. Branch noticed Creek was armed with his bow and arrows.

"I know you're there, Branch." Creek said.

Branch flinched. No matter how stealthy he was, Creek's aura-sensing gives him the advantage. He emerged from his hiding spot. "What are you doing out here?" Branch tried to keep his tone level.

"Keeping a lookout for danger." Creek said. "Blackwood will return. We can count on that. So I've been keeping an eye out for him. I used to watch for him to give Rosiepuff time to hide, and give you and the other trolls time to prepare for attack. Now that I'm more trained, I can actually fight back."

"How long have you been doing this?" Branch asked.

"Every morning since Rosiepuff and I escaped Blackwood and returned home." Creek said. He gripped his bow tighter. "I'm not afraid to fight him anymore. I'm ready for him."

Branch never saw such a tough attitude from Creek. "And what if Blackwood kills you?"

"I am, by no means, dumb enough to run blindly into battle with Blackwood." Creek said. "But when Blackwood attacks, I'm ready to die for the people I care about. That includes my mother, Rosiepuff, Rosie, Poppy, my friends, and even you."

"Why me?" Branch asked. "I haven't exactly treated you well. Plus, I almost killed you today."

"I know." Creek nodded. "You're still my friend. Hopefully, we can get back that bond we had as children."

Branch pursed his lips. "Do you really think that'll happen?"

"No." Creek shook his head. "I burned a lot of bridges, and I'm building and rebuilding new ones stone by stone. I don't think you and I will be able to be friends again. Not like before."

Branch shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. You were right, Creek. I denied anyone's help while I was grey. I was afraid to hurt someone by being close to them, so I pushed them away. Yes, I pushed you away. And I'm sorry. You did try to help, just like Poppy did, and just like Peppy did. I'm sorry that I kept pushing you away. I admire your patience."

Creek grinned. "Thank you, Branch. And I'm sorry I gave up. Poppy never gave up. Persistent, isn't she?"

"I'll say." Branch chuckled.

"You're lucky to have her, Mate. Hold onto her." Creek said.

Branch nodded. "This is a step in the right direction for us, but I don't want you dating my daughter. Got it?"

"Yes, my king." Creek nodded, resuming his lookout position.

Branch nodded in satisfaction and hurried away before the awkwardness could return. He felt a little more comfortable around Creek, and maybe he could start trusting him more. But they had to take this slow at first and play it by ear.

"Nice to see you two getting along again."

Branch paused and looked over to see his grandmother. Rosiepuff had a knowing grin, indicating she saw him and Creek talking. "It was awkward, Grandma."

"I know. But you're on the right path." Rosiepuff said, wrapping an arm around Branch in a side-hug. "He's been through a lot, Branch, and so have you. That's why I think you two can become friends again."

"Yeah, but don't get your hopes up too high." Branch warned. "I guess I have to admit that Creek has certainly proven to be a protector."

"I could've told you that." Rosiepuff said. "Of course, I didn't think I could trust Creek until he thought he was going to die for me."

Branch stared at her in confusion. "What? When?"

"A couple years after he and I met in Blackwood's home." Rosiepuff explained. "He saw Blackwood putting the youth potion in my drink, and Creek thought it was a poison. He tried to 'save' me by drinking the entire cup himself. He thought he was going to die. Instead, the youth potion reverted him to his teenage form."

"Wait, _that's_ why he's sixteen now?" Branch asked.

"Yes." Rosiepuff nodded. "And that Phoenix Tear Crystal? It's the only thing of Blackwood's that Creek stole and kept for himself."

Branch thought about that. "Right. Because he gave me all those spells and books so I could practice."

"That's right." Rosiepuff nodded.

Branch almost forgot about that crystal. Now that he did think about it, he realized Creek only ever used the Phoenix Tear Crystal to heal others. He was always ready to help and heal. He gave himself the job of protecting Rosiepuff and her family, and that extended to Branch too.

 _This won't be easy._ Branch realized as he bid his grandmother goodnight and departed for home. _But I'm willing to try if he is._


	24. Not-So-Perfect Date Night

**A/N: This chapter will make you laugh and cry, just a fair warning.**

 **Also, an announcement: I will be posting the first chapter of Kung Fu Troll on Monday! Yay! Hope you enjoy it!**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – I don't know why you'd be screaming "NOOO!" I would love to be Branch. :D**

 **Tomboyfriend – Thank you, it is a goal of mine to make you feel emotional.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Four – Not-So-Perfect Date Night**

Where one romance seemingly ended, another blossomed.

Since Rosie and Creek were basically forbidden from ever dating (at least for the foreseeable future), they took great pleasure in watching Peppy and Rosiepuff's bond grow. It seemed the two elder trolls spent almost every day together. They did the simplest things together, like running errands for Poppy and Branch, taking walks through Troll Grove, or simply sitting down and talking. Even Branch and Poppy found the interactions to be very cute.

Rosiepuff herself didn't know what to make of all the attention Peppy gave her. It certainly brought back happy memories, and it distracted her from any concerns she had about Blackwood returning. Even better, she didn't get nightmares anymore. Peppy, upon realizing he was falling in love with Rosiepuff all over again, decided to take a chance and try to start the relationship. He had been taking it slow so far; but, one day, he decided to bite the bullet and take a bigger risk.

With a picnic basket on one arm and leaning on his cane, Peppy approached Rosiepuff's pod and steeled his nerves. He knocked briskly with his cane.

"Come in!" Rosiepuff called from inside.

Peppy stepped into the pod, but did not see Rosiepuff. "Hello?"

"Back in my room!" Rosiepuff called from the bedroom. Peppy approached the door, tentatively knocking. "Don't come in!" Rosiepuff called. "I'm getting changed."

"Ah! Sorry!" Peppy yelped, covering his eyes with one hand and turning away from the closed door.

"Oh relax, Peppy!" Rosiepuff laughed. "It's not like the day we first met."

Peppy laughed nervously. "Yeah. That was….interesting…..huh?"

Rosiepuff emerged from her room, pulling on her coat over her dress. She raised an eyebrow and smirked teasingly. "Exactly what is so interesting about watching me take a bath in a stream?"

Peppy's face turned a deep shade of red. "Uh….well…I mean…" He stuttered and stumbled over his words. "It's….not…it's not 'interesting' but…I…..uh….." He cleared his throat. "I'm going to stop talking now."

Rosiepuff laughed, going to her piano. "Well, you still have to tell me what you're up to. You came here for a reason, yes?"

Peppy jumped in realization. "Right! Yes!" He cleared his throat again. "Right. Well, I just wanted to know…..um…what are you doing this evening?"

"Oh, I'm just going to have dinner by myself and then play my piano for a while." Rosiepuff shrugged, tapping a few keys on the piano.

"Well, wouldn't you rather go out? It's such a nice evening." Peppy suggested.

Rosiepuff shrugged again. "Maybe."

Peppy swallowed his nervousness. "Because it might get boring in here. Wouldn't you want to go outside and enjoy the night? The weather is nice tonight."

"Perhaps." Rosiepuff said. "If something motivates me to go out."

Peppy groaned. "You're just messing with me, aren't you?"

"Yes, because it is fun." Rosiepuff giggled. "If you want to ask me something, Peppy, just ask."

Peppy sighed. "Rosiepuff, I am going to have a picnic dinner and do some stargazing. Would you please join me?"

Rosiepuff grinned and stood. "You had me at 'picnic.' Let's go."

"Really?" Peppy asked excitedly.

"Yes, of course!" Rosiepuff laughed, already heading for the door.

Peppy turned and quietly cheered for himself before joining Rosiepuff outside. The sun touched the horizon as the two of them made their way to a clearing that served as a park and playground. Several other trolls lay out their own picnic baskets and blankets. While Rosiepuff lay out the blanket, Peppy checked the picnic basket to see what Poppy and Rosie made for them. He quickly snapped the lid back on.

"What? See a snake?" Rosiepuff teased as she sat down.

"No! Just….never mind." Peppy said, sitting down beside her. He pulled out the two jam sandwiches from inside and handed one to Rosiepuff. He looked back into the basket and analyzed its contents. That was when he realized he shouldn't have told his daughter and granddaughter this was going to be a "little date." The majority of the food had hearts on it: heart-shaped biscuits, cupcakes with pink frosting and heart sprinkles, veggies in a heart-shaped tray, and even a bottle of Ringo Noir with heart stickers plastered all over it. _Great._ Peppy sighed silently, pulling out the jar of juice (which had no heart stickers on it, thankfully) and a couple cups.

" _Peppy!"_

Peppy jumped with a surprised shout, realizing Rosiepuff was trying to get his attention. By then, he had unscrewed the lid of the juice jar, and his startled jump caused half the juice to fly out of the jar. The sweet liquid hit Rosiepuff's face and hair. She grimaced a little.

"Blueberry. My favorite." She droned, accepting the napkin from Peppy to wipe the juice off her face.

"I am so sorry." Peppy said, his face red with embarrassment.

"That's all right." Rosiepuff said. "I just wanted you to know that that Wooferbug is stealing your food."

"What?!" Peppy looked, and he saw a Wooferbug scurrying away with his sandwich in its mouth. "Hey!" Peppy yelped, darting after the bug. "That's my sandwich! Bad Wooferbug!"

Rosiepuff laughed, watching Peppy frantically chase after the Wooferbug. She shook her head and continued eating. After a minute, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a familiar, paint-splattered troll. "Good evening, Harper."

"Hello!" Harper greeted merrily. "I was just out here doing some painting and I would love to paint you and King Peppy here. Do you mind?"

"Not at all." Rosiepuff said. "Peppy will be back in a minute. He's chasing a sandwich stealer."

"I noticed." Harper showed Rosiepuff the quick painting she did of Peppy chasing after the Wooferbug. Rosiepuff laughed as Harper set up her easel and paints a short distance behind the blanket.

After a few minutes, Peppy returned and plopped down in his seat with a frown on his face. Rosiepuff couldn't stop her giggling. "Get your sandwich back?"

"No." Peppy pouted.

Rosiepuff handed him the other half of her own sandwich. "Go on, take it," she said when he tried to refuse it.

"Thanks." Peppy said.

"Now don't move." Rosiepuff said. "Harper wants to paint a picture of us."

Peppy glanced back to see Harper already working away. He thought about asking Harper to paint someone else, but he decided against it. What harm could a painting do? So he pulled out the veggie tray, dumped the veggies onto a plate, and hid the heart-shaped tray while placing the plate between him and Rosiepuff. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Peppy didn't know how to start a conversation. He glanced back to Harper, hard at work with her painting. If he moved to check on her progress, she would probably admonish him for moving. He embarrassed himself enough already.

Then, Peppy realized Rosiepuff was muttering. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." Rosiepuff said. "Just naming the constellations. Oaken taught them to me."

"Really? Me too. On one of our little camping adventures." Peppy said.

"Aw, how sweet." Rosiepuff mused. "You and my husband, stargazing together."

Peppy rolled his eyes with a grin. "Not like that!" He chuckled. "He was trying to teach me to find my way using stars. Ended up talking about constellations he learned from his father." Peppy scanned the stars. "Let's see….there's Kerec the dragon."

"There's the wolf-troll." Rosiepuff pointed to another constellation. "And that's the Ice King."

"And over there is the constellation he called 'Beauty and the Beast.' Looks like a troll dancing with a monster of some kind." Peppy said.

"I can see that, sort of." Rosiepuff said. "That one is 'The Pumpkin Carriage.'"

"The Pumpkin Carriage?" Peppy laughed.

"Oaken always swore that collection of stars looked like a pumpkin with wheels." Rosiepuff insisted. She and Peppy laughed, fondly remembering the long-deceased troll. Rosiepuff sighed, shutting her eyes. "I can always feel when he's near. He's always watching us."

Peppy nodded slowly. "Yeah. He was quite an amazing friend. And a good husband, I'm sure."

"Indeed he was." Rosiepuff nodded. "Protective of me, but well-aware of my ability to take care of myself. Understanding and patient, and rarely lost his temper. He knew how to…..help me."

"Help you how?" Peppy asked, curious about Rosiepuff's tone when she said that.

"Just with the parts of me that aren't perfect." Rosiepuff shrugged. "He knew I was impulsive at times, saying and doing things without thinking, and he would keep a level head. That was just one of the many things he did for me, and I tried to do the same for him. I guess that's one of the reasons I fell in love with him. He knew how to counter my flaws."

Peppy scoffed softly. "What flaws? You're perfect." He blanched a little when he realized he actually said that out loud.

Rosiepuff blushed. "What about you? What drew you to Joy? I was a bit surprised when you told me you were going to court her."

"Well, I can't say definitively what it was." Peppy admitted. "She was kind and smart and so optimistic. To this day, I think Poppy got her optimism from her mother. When I started courting her, we were prisoners at the time, but Joy wouldn't let anyone be sad about it. She encouraged the trolls to dance and sing and hug no matter what happened. Ultimately, I think that's why we were able to survive Trollstice. Emotionally, that is. It was one of the many things I loved about her." He sighed. "I miss her."

"Me too." Rosiepuff agreed.

"But I think I understand what you mentioned before." Peppy said. "It took me years to talk to Poppy about her mother because it hurt to think about her. Even now, it's not easy to talk about Joy because Poppy didn't get to meet her. But when I talk about my past with you—when we talk about Oaken and Joy and the friends we knew and lost—I don't feel that sadness. It's a welcome relief, believe me."

Rosiepuff grinned. "I agree."

That smile made Peppy's face hot again. He cleared his throat and stood up quickly. "Hey Harper, how is that painting—" He turned to walk to Harper, but suddenly ended up with a face full of paint.

Harper gasped. Her palette had slapped right into Peppy's face, covering his skin and mustache with paint. "I am so sorry, King Peppy! I didn't expect you to turn around so fast."

Rosiepuff tried to hide her laughter, but ultimately failed. Peppy sure did look funny with those splotches of paint. Peppy had a deadpan expression on his face as he handed Harper her palette. "What're you laughing at?" He grumbled at Rosiepuff.

"Don't worry. Rainbow is a lovely color on you." Rosiepuff pulled the picnic basket closer and opened it to find a napkin. She blinked a few times. "My goodness, Peppy, you really like hearts, don't you?"

Peppy quickly slapped the lid of the basket down and hid the basket behind his back. "Um…...that was my daughter and granddaughter's doing." He chuckled nervously.

"I think it's cute." Rosiepuff said.

"It's adorable!" Harper gushed as Peppy pulled out a napkin to clean off his face. "Oh! What do you two think of this painting?"

Rosiepuff stood to look. "Oh, Harper! It's beautiful!"

Peppy glanced over Rosiepuff's shoulder. Once again, Harper proved to be a very talented artist. She captured the evening scene wonderfully, down to the streaks of grey and white in Peppy's and Rosiepuff's hair. Peppy noticed that, in the picture, his hand was placed over Rosiepuff's, and her fingers curled around his hand.

 _Wait, did that actually happen?!_ Peppy wondered. _When did that happen? When did I do that? Is that really how she reacted?_

"King Peppy?"

Once again, Peppy didn't hear someone calling his name until Harper half-shouted in his ear. "Sorry, what?"

"You've been very distracted this evening." Rosiepuff noted amusedly. "Harper wanted to know what you thought of the painting."

"Oh! I think it's lovely, Harper. Well done." Peppy said.

"Thanks." Harper said, handing the painting to Rosiepuff. "You can keep it, if you like."

"Are you sure?" Rosiepuff asked. "It's such a nice piece."

"And I want you or King Peppy to have it. I love sharing my artwork." Harper insisted.

"You can keep it if you like, Rosiepuff." Peppy said.

"Thank you. I think I'll just run it home." Rosiepuff said. "I'll be right back."

Peppy watched her go, a small smile on his lips. Harper grinned. "If I may say, King Peppy, I think you and Miss Rosiepuff look very nice together."

Peppy chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, thank you."

"If you two get married, may I paint your wedding portrait?" Harper requested innocently.

Peppy's face went red for the third (or was it fifth?) time that night. He stuttered and stumbled over his words. "Oh…..uh…..well….you see…..I mean….."

"Just think about it." Harper shrugged, gathering her painting materials. "I'm going to paint something else. I think I saw Branch and Poppy over this way." She skipped off without a care in the world, leaving Peppy behind as he still stammered.

Peppy, when he realized Harper had left, sighed in relief. "Kids. Never know what they're going to say next." He set the picnic basket on the ground again and sat down. Suddenly, something grabbed the basket, and Peppy jumped to his feet once more. "Hey! Symphony!"

The phoenix stared at him, the picnic basket hanging from her hooked beak.

"Symphony, drop the basket." Peppy ordered. "Drop it."

The phoenix blinked a few times, and then hopped over Peppy's head and darted off with the basket.

"Hey!" Peppy whined a little. He sighed. "Oh forget it." He plopped down on the blanket. "This is not how I imagined this evening going."

* * *

Rosiepuff found the perfect place to hang up the painting and then hurried back outside so she wouldn't keep Peppy waiting. By the time she got back, a group of trolls started playing music, and the trolls previously sitting out and stargazing began dancing. Rosiepuff noticed her grandson danced with his beloved, the two of them gazing at each other lovingly. Rosiepuff grinned warmly at the sight as she moved around the dancing trolls and towards her and Peppy's spot.

But when she arrived, she discovered Peppy, the blanket, and the picnic basket nowhere to be seen.

Carefully weaving her way through the dancing trolls, Rosiepuff tapped Branch on the shoulder to get his attention. "Hey Branch, have you seen Peppy?"

"He's not with you?" Branch asked curiously.

"Actually, he handed his picnic blanket off to me and wandered towards the Troll Tree." Poppy pointed to the tree behind them.

Humming in thought, Rosiepuff thanked them and headed towards the Troll Tree. As she climbed up and checked the branches, she did spy Rosie and Creek dancing along to the music coming from the band on the ground. A few more branches up, Rosiepuff found a familiar troll with wild hair.

Peppy sat on the tree branch, his head propped up on his fist and frowning at nothing. Rosiepuff took a seat beside him. "Hey there, Grumpy Gills." Rosiepuff teased.

"Hi." Peppy greeted dully.

"You disappeared. What are you doing up here?" Rosiepuff asked.

"The bird took my basket." Peppy grumbled.

Rosiepuff giggled. "I'm not sure I know what that means, but it's funny nonetheless." Peppy groaned, burying his face in his hands in his embarrassment. "Hey, lighten up. I haven't laughed this much in years. It's a good kind of funny."

"No, it's not." Peppy sighed. "This night was a mistake."

"A mistake how?" Rosiepuff asked.

"Well, just all of it was a mistake." Peppy said. "Just with me being a bumbling idiot and you being you, I just—"

"What's that supposed to mean? Me being me?" Rosiepuff's smile was gone, replaced with a confused expression that was a borderline frown.

Peppy opened and closed his mouth a few times, and then pressed his lips together and turned away from her.

Rosiepuff stared at him. "Why did you ask me to join you in the first place?"

Peppy didn't answer her. The two of them sat in silence for a while. Music from the dance below drifted up to their ears.

Peppy finally smiled and stood. He offered his hand to Rosiepuff. An invitation to dance. Rosiepuff raised an eyebrow at him, and then beamed. She accepted the gesture and stood. The two trolls began an elegant waltz.

Rosie and Creek noticed the two older trolls dancing, and they paused in their own waltz to watch.

"Aww." Rosie cooed quietly. "That's so adorable."

"They really are cute together, huh?" Creek said, pulling Rosie into a side-hug. "Almost as cute as us."

Rosie giggled. She stared at her grandfather and great-grandmother. "This is great. I'm so happy for them."

Peppy and Rosiepuff finished their dance, both of them grinning happily.

"I hope this makes up for…...well, the entire evening." Peppy said.

"Peppy, this entire evening has been fun." Rosiepuff assured. "You and me spending time together, just like when we were young."

"Really? Because I spilled blueberry juice on you and a phoenix stole the picnic basket, on top of everything else that didn't go right." Peppy pointed out.

Rosiepuff glanced down to the blueberry juice stains on her dress. "Eh, an easy fix. Honestly, it could've been a lot worse."

Peppy sighed in relief. "Good. I was so worried because I had all this planned out and I thought it would nice and simple but then it seemed like everything was going wrong well mostly for me and I didn't know if I could keep it up much longer because I kept getting embarrassed and all I really wanted out of this evening was a chance to spend time with you and I thought—"

"Peppy!" Rosiepuff snapped, her smile having shifted to a deadpan expression mixed with irritation. "Shut up!"

"Right! Yes!" Peppy laughed nervously. "I should totally shut up right now because I'm rambling and I sound stupid when I ramble and I hate sounding stupid in front of people especially you and…..."

Rosiepuff pinched the bridge of her nose, growling a little in exasperation. She grabbed Peppy by the front of his vest and yanked him towards her. Their lips crashed together, and Peppy let out a muffled yelp in surprise. Creek had to slap his hands over Rosie's mouth to prevent anyone from hearing her squeal of excitement, which would alert Peppy and Rosiepuff to the teenagers' presence. After a moment of their lips locked together, Rosiepuff opened her eyes and realized what she was doing. She gasped and pushed Peppy away, her hands slapped over her mouth.

"Oh dear gods, why did I do that?" Rosiepuff asked, mostly to herself. "Why did I do that? I have no idea why I did that. I am so sorry. I mean, I told you I can be impulsive and I so acted without thinking and that's not fair to you so I am so sorry…"

While Rosiepuff took a turn rambling, Peppy's face went from stunned to happy in a matter of seconds. He gently put a hand to Rosiepuff's cheek, and the soft touch silenced her. She stared at him in surprise while his gaze remained loving.

"Can I admit now that I've always wanted to do that?" Peppy asked.

Rosiepuff blinked, and then laughed. She lightly punched his arm. "Boyish idiot."

Peppy shrugged. "Maybe a little. What can I say? I was the younger son."

Rosiepuff rolled her eyes with a laugh. She didn't resist when Peppy pulled her in for another kiss.

Miles away, deep in the Western Woods, Blackwood's tree home still lay only half-repaired. Thanks to Creek's fire, most of the tree was damaged or destroyed. Blackwood lost all the animals he was previously using for his experiments. Ever since Rosiepuff and Creek left, Blackwood had to balance his time between repairing his home and plotting the best way to steal Rosiepuff back.

At the moment, Blackwood stood in his damaged spell room. Only a third of his books remained, and his cauldron had a large dent in it. He had a large crystal ball on a stand in the middle of the room. Blackwood stared into the crystal ball, which he had used to track Rosiepuff and Creek ever since they escaped. Through this crystal ball, he could see when Rosiepuff was most vulnerable and ready for the taking.

Right now, he had a perfect view of the love blossoming between Rosiepuff and Peppy.

Rage built up inside Blackwood. His nostrils flared and his breathing was labored. His teeth clenched and he gripped the crystal ball in both hands. His nails scratched at the crystal as his grip tightened. Quite suddenly, the crystal ball shattered from Blackwood's intense grip and his magic reacting to his emotions.

Blackwood let out a scream of pure fury.

Back at the Troll Tree, every single troll jumped at the sound of the rage-induced shout echoing over the land. Dark clouds formed in the sky, full of green lightning. The clouds snaked towards the Troll Tree, swirling around over the home of the trolls.

"What is that?" Peppy asked no one in particular.

A bolt of lightning shot down, and Peppy and Rosiepuff barely had time to jump out of the way. The lightning struck the tree branch and broke apart the wood right under the two trolls' feet. They began falling, but Rosie and Creek quickly threw their hair towards them. Peppy and Rosiepuff latched their own hair to Rosie's and Creek's, allowing them to swing down and tumble safely to the ground.

"Dad!" Poppy called.

"Grandma!" Branch joined Poppy as they ran to their respective family members. The other trolls began crowding around, murmuring in concern. Branch helped his grandmother stand. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Rosiepuff assured.

"Peachy." Peppy agreed as Poppy pulled him to his feet.

"Poppy!" Gristle and Bridget approached the crowd, several Bergen guards with them.

"Are you okay?" Bridget asked worriedly.

"We're all right." Poppy assured. She and everyone else jumped at another round of lightning. Several green bolts shot down and hit the grass. Everyone shielded their eyes from the bright light. When it died down, Blackwood stood on the charred spot where the lightning hit.

"This can't be good." Creek muttered.

"When is it _ever_ good when he comes?" Rosie demanded in a quiet voice.

"No, this is different." Creek said. "This is going to end _very_ badly."

Branch put himself protectively in front of Rosiepuff. "Come to get your butt kicked again?" Poppy taunted. The trolls stood firm, ready to fight and protect their own.

"Shut up." Blackwood snapped his fingers, and Poppy jumped aside before a bolt of lightning could hit her. Blackwood turned to Rosiepuff and Peppy. "See, Peppy, I always knew you would steal her from me. I know you. I know your tricks. But Rosiepuff? I never thought you would betray me like that."

Rosiepuff glared. "When did you get a say in how I live my life?"

Blackwood sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "See, I thought you had learned something while in that cage. I thought you would understand by now. But it looks like I need to teach you a lesson _again_."

Branch summoned lightning in his palm. "You want her, you go through me."

"You'll have to go through all of us." Peppy added. Several trolls readied for a fight, grabbing miscellaneous items to throw and use as weapons. Gristle's guards readied their spears and crossbows.

"Oh, don't worry." Blackwood assured. "I would never physically harm you, Rosiepuff. You know that. Now, I can't use Creek as a whipping boy for this punishment. No, I'm going to have to _really_ hurt you to get you to understand."

Suddenly, something rustled furiously in the leaves of the Troll Tree. Poppy gasped in pain, dropping to her knees and holding her stomach. Peppy was by her side in an instant. Branch noticed Poppy wasn't just holding her stomach, she was holding her lower abdomen. His eyes widened as he stared at the Troll Tree. Reaper appeared from just below the foliage.

The dark phoenix held in his talons the seven-and-a-half-month-old birthing pod of Branch and Poppy's unborn baby.

Everyone froze. Gristle quickly ordered his guards to stand down. "Blackwood, no!" Rosiepuff pleaded. "Don't do it. Please."

"I wouldn't have to do this if you had learned your lesson the first time." Blackwood sighed, summoning a fireball in his palm.

"I learned! I've learned my lesson, I promise!" Rosiepuff insisted. "Please. Don't hurt the baby. I'm begging you."

Blackwood sighed again. He stared at Rosiepuff for a long moment. "This is your punishment, Rosiepuff, and you deserve it."

Branch threw the lightning still in his hands. Blackwood redirected the lightning into the sky before throwing the fireball in his hand at the baby pod. Reaper dropped the pod just as the fireball hit, setting the pod aflame.

" _NO!"_ Branch shouted. Poppy screamed in pain. Reaper swooped down and whisked Blackwood away before the trolls or Bergen guards could attack. Most of the trolls, however, were more concerned about the flaming baby pod hurtling towards the ground.

"Creek!" Rosie called as the lavender troll ran along the tree branch they stood on. Creek pushed off the branch and dived for the baby pod. He took out his dagger and cut open the pod just enough to slide through the fiery petals. Rosie watched with horror as Creek disappeared into the pod just before it crashed to the ground.

"Get some water!" Peppy shouted, the trolls frantically running about in a panic. "Put out that fire! Hurry!" Several trolls grabbed buckets and scooped water from the nearby water wells and gutters near the storm drains. Others took the liquids from their picnic baskets and tossed them onto the fire for good measure. Within minutes, the trolls doused the flames of the baby pod. Branch, Poppy, Peppy, and Rosiepuff elbowed their way to the pod. The Snack Pack kept the crowd back, despite their equal levels of concern.

"Mom!" Rosie shouted, weaving through the crowd.

Poppy opened her arms to let Rosie jump into them. "Rosie, baby, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine." Despite her attempted optimism, her fearful tone betrayed her.

"Where's Creek?" Rosie asked desperately.

"Creek?" Poppy repeated.

"H-he jumped off the branch a-and he went into the pod!" Rosie explained hurriedly.

"Wait, Creek's _in_ the pod?" Branch stared at the charred baby pod.

No sooner did he finish that sentence did Creek burst from the ashes and burnt remains of the pod. He coughed harshly, stumbling out of the baby pod remains and falling to his knees. He was covered in ash and a few burns.

"Creek!" Rosiepuff gasped.

Branch quickly knelt before Creek. "Are you okay?"

Creek coughed again. "I'll live."

"What the heck were you doing in there?" Branch demanded, still in shock.

"I thought I could—" Creek coughed one last time. "—save the baby."

"And did you?" Poppy asked hopefully.

Creek realized something was pressed to his chest, and he lowered his arms a little. Cradled in his arms was a little baby troll boy with grey skin and black hair. The baby was deathly still. Creek quickly put an ear to the baby's mouth. To his horror, he heard nothing. Not even the smallest breath.

"Creek?" Branch's voice was a whisper.

Creek shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

* * *

 **A/N: I know, I know. I'm waiting for you all to hate me. And I'm sorry if this is a trigger for anyone. Just bear with me until I get the next chapter written.**


	25. Love Realized At Last

**A/N: Okay, you've been tortured enough. I have this chapter written. I may as well update and spare you the misery from the last chapter. What a response! 12 reviews! The most I've seen on a single chapter, I think.**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – Oh, I certainly hope the cab driver didn't notice. :D**

 **The Snack Pack – You didn't overreact. That's the reaction I was looking for.**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Aw, you think I'm a beautiful monster? Thank you!**

 **You'll see some more of my original poetry in this chapter! I wish I could somehow transcribe the actual music part for you.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Five – Love Realized At Last**

A strangled sob escaped Poppy's throat, and she collapsed into her father's comforting embrace. Rosie became still, shell-shocked by the news, and Rosiepuff gently pulled her into a hug. Rosiepuff covered her mouth with her hand, desperately trying to hold her own tears back. Branch squeezed his eyes shut, his hands clenching into fists. Gristle comforted his wife. This was too much déjà vu for them to take. The trolls lowered their heads in mourning for their dead prince.

Creek still cradled the baby in his arms, mentally cursing himself for not being quick enough. He thought if he could get into the pod and wrap his hair around himself and the baby, it would save the child from the fire and the fall. But he was too late. Creek sighed, his hand placed on the baby's chest.

Creek's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He pressed his fingers harder against the troll baby's chest. He stared at the child with his inner eye. His eyes widened, and he put an ear to the baby's chest.

"Wait. He has a heartbeat!" Creek gasped, yanking the Phoenix Tear Crystal off his neck. "He's still alive!"

Branch's eyes flew open. "He is?"

Creek breathed on the Phoenix Tear Crystal to activate it, even kissing the crystal for good luck. He pressed the precious gem to the grey baby's heart. Everyone waited, holding their breath with hope and anticipation. Creek muttered to himself. The Phoenix Tear Crystal glowed brightly.

"Come on, come on." Creek muttered. "You've never failed before."

"Please wake up." Rosie prayed. "Please."

Branch stared at the baby, his heart in his throat. "Is it working?"

Creek didn't answer, pushing the glowing crystal a little harder against the baby's skin. "Come on, little guy. Don't give up now. If you really are Branch's son, then you're a stubborn little bugger who always fights, who never _ever_ gives up. Don't give up now." He shut his eyes to concentrate. "Don't give up. Don't give up."

It became completely silent.

Then, the glow of the Phoenix Tear Crystal flared, and a fiery red mark in the shape of a flame appeared over the baby's heart. The glow disappeared, and the baby began coughing violently.

Branch gasped. "He's alive. He's okay."

Creek shuddered as he sighed in relief. "Branch, here."

Understanding, Branch shed his vest and used it as a blanket as Creek deposited the baby into his arms. Branch rocked the child, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Pop, come look!"

Poppy rushed right over, staring at her newborn. "Oh gods, he's alive."

When the baby stopped coughing, he brought his tiny fists up to rub his little eyes, as though he were waking up from a nap. His eyes fluttered open to reveal handsome magenta-colored irises. The baby cooed and giggled, reaching for his parents.

"He's got your eyes, Pop." Branch noted.

Poppy laughed in relief, taking the baby from Branch. She stood and smiled broadly at the trolls. "He's alive! He's okay!"

The trolls erupted into thankful cheers, overjoyed by the news. Rosie, Peppy, Rosiepuff, and the Snack Pack enveloped Poppy and the baby in a warm, gentle group hug. Branch stood, and he noticed Creek still kneeling on the ground. The lavender troll couldn't stop smiling, so relieved he was able to save the baby. Branch grinned and offered a hand to Creek. Though surprised, Creek accepted the gesture and allowed Branch to help him to his feet. But he was even more shocked when Branch hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." Branch breathed. "Thank you so much."

Creek was frozen for a moment, and then returned the embrace. When Branch went to his wife and newborn son, Cybil came up next to hug Creek. "I am so proud of you." Cybil said.

"Thanks, Mother." Creek sighed.

Cybil put on a stern expression. "But don't ever scare me like that again."

"Yes, ma'am." Creek nodded. He laughed when Cybil hugged him again.

"We're so happy for you, Poppy." Bridget said.

"And so relieved." Gristle added.

"Thanks." Poppy sighed, indicating her own relief.

"What's the baby's name?" Cooper asked Poppy excitedly. Several trolls echoed him.

"Well, we're not quite sure." Poppy said. "It's gotta be good."

"How about Peppy Junior?" Peppy joked, tickling his grandson's stomach. "We'll call him PJ."

"Isn't that what you tried to call me before I was born?" Poppy raised an eyebrow at her father.

"It has to be something that best represents him." Branch said, lightly tousling the baby's pitch-black hair. "He survived quite an ordeal."

"He's like a phoenix." Rosie said. She held her hand out to her baby brother, and he took hold of her finger.

"A phoenix?" Poppy asked.

"Yeah. You know, because when a phoenix dies, they burst into flames and they're reborn from the ashes." Rosie explained. "My baby brother was born from ashes."

"Ashes…..." Branch murmured. His son was born from the ashes of a flaming pod. Ashes, like the color of the baby's skin and hair. "I think I know what to name him: Ash."

"Ash, our little prince." Poppy sighed blissfully. "It's perfect."

* * *

The next day, Rosie, Bliss, and their friends set up a party to celebrate Prince Ash's birth and miraculous survival. A checkup from Dr. Plum confirmed that the baby was a perfectly healthy, albeit tiny and underweight, little boy. Branch's only concern was Ash's colors. The baby looked just like Branch did when he was grey, save for the pink irises. Despite being grey-skinned and black-haired, Ash proved to be a very happy little troll. He laughed and played and stared in wonder at the world around him. Dr. Plum assured Branch that Ash was healthy, and his colors would probably develop as he grew older.

Currently, Ash dressed in a pale blue onesie and lay in his mother's arms. He very much enjoyed the party, and kept laughing at every little thing. Every troll in the kingdom wanted to meet Ash. Every member of the Snack Pack had a gift for him: baby-sized headphones from Suki, a small wardrobe of adorable baby outfits from Satin and Chenille, a kazoo from Fuzzbert, records of lullabies from Cooper, cupcakes from Biggie (who forgot Ash didn't have any teeth yet), a stuffed animal wingdingle from Guy Diamond, and a soft, padded toy dumbbell from Smidge. Creek even had a gift: a wooden pendant carved in the shape of a flame, hanging on a black cord as a necklace.

Rosie already loved Ash, and he loved to play with his big sister. The two of them ended up in an exciting round of peek-a-boo, which caused incessant laughter from the newborn. Bliss's kleptomaniac tendencies became something of a game of slight-of-hand, where she took a small ball and made it disappear and reappear, to Ash's delight. Even when most of the festivities died down, everyone rejoiced for the entire day, happy a tragedy was averted.

However, there was one who used the joyful moment to hide her true feelings.

Rosiepuff did indeed enjoy being with her new great-grandson, and she celebrated like the rest of the trolls when they learned he was healthy and would grow up strong. But at night, she often laid awake in bed, wondering if Blackwood would come back sooner this time. He tried to kill a _baby_ , for hair's sake. What would he do next time? He certainly wouldn't give up. Not now.

A little over a week after Ash's birth, Rosiepuff found herself sitting alone, poking at her dinner, and thinking about Blackwood. What a character he was: suave, almost gentlemanly, and elegant in the way he spoke and moved. But mixed in with all that, he was also malicious, sadistic, and cruel. He made deals with Chef and did who knows what to those trolls he received in their trading. He did experiments on any living creature he could get his hands on. He tortured Creek whenever he pleased. He kept Rosiepuff prisoner for decades. Why? What on earth could compel Blackwood to think that any of that is right? Just because he has magic? Does he believe that he can do as he pleases because he has powers other trolls don't?

Rosiepuff sighed. "I may never understand him."

 _Knock knock_

Rosiepuff tilted her head in confusion. She wasn't expecting to see anyone this evening. She answered the door, and smiled when she saw Peppy. "Good evening. To what do I owe the pleasure?" She ushered him inside.

"Branch wanted me to come check on you. Said you were having some trouble?" Peppy said. "He would've come by himself, but he's out patrolling Troll Grove with Symphony."

"That's my boy." Rosiepuff said. "What made him think I was having trouble with something?"

"Just a look in your eyes, as he called it." Peppy said. "He can see you're afraid." Rosiepuff looked down, and that gave Peppy the answer he needed. He guided her to the couch so they could sit down. "You're afraid of Blackwood coming back."

"It's not a matter of if, but when." Rosiepuff said. "He almost killed Ash. What will he do next time?"

Peppy shrugged. "Who knows? Not much we can do except prepare."

"Not much we can do?" Rosiepuff repeated incredulously. "You expect me to just sit back and watch him hurt trolls? Just to get to me?"

"He's getting to you because he knows the best way to manipulate you." Peppy said. "That's how he is. He manipulates people. He's making you think that all this chaos is your fault."

"I _am_ the one he's after." Rosiepuff pointed out.

"That's his choice, not yours." Peppy said. "You did nothing to bring that about. He's just a nutcase."

"A dangerous nutcase." Rosiepuff corrected. She sighed. "What am I supposed to do about this?"

"You live your life, the way _you_ want to live it." Peppy said. "Don't worry about him."

"But what if he—"

"What? Threatens your family again? You know he will. And that would be a problem if there weren't so many people looking out for you and your family. We have the entire troll and Bergen kingdoms on alert and ready to fight Blackwood next time he comes."

"No one should have to be put in harm's way because of me."

"Wouldn't you do the same thing they're doing if it were someone else? Let's say Blackwood was after Branch or Poppy or any other troll. Wouldn't you want to help? To jump into battle and defend your own?" Peppy took Rosiepuff's hand in his and gave her fingers a light squeeze. "It's okay to lean on your family for support. That's what they're there for. To protect one another. Unless I'm mistaken, I believe you _taught_ that to your grandson."

Rosiepuff shrugged with a small smile. "Yes. I did."

"So why should that be different now? We're protecting you and fighting Blackwood because we chose to. Everything that's happening is based on our choices." Peppy assured. "Blackwood chose to try and make your life miserable. Your family and two kingdoms chose to fight for you. You chose to keep fighting back. Don't stop just because things seem terrible. There's a rainbow after every storm, right?"

"Right." Rosiepuff nodded. "Thank you." Her smile shrunk a little. "I just wish I knew why he cared so much. What is it about me that appeals to him?"

Peppy shrugged. "Maybe the same things that appeal to me?"

Rosiepuff raised an eyebrow at him, and he laughed. She shook her head, though secretly thankful for his kindness and attempts to make her laugh. Rosiepuff stared at the ground, distracted, and Peppy noticed some leftover pain and worry in her eyes. He knew just what to do to get rid of that.

 _The day we first met, and I could've sworn  
that you were an angel I never saw before  
Time went by, and then I knew  
I loved every part of falling in love with you_

As he sang, Peppy encouraged Rosiepuff to rise and join him in a simple waltz across the floor. Rosiepuff accepted, calm and comfortable as they danced.

 _Don't you know that I love you?  
Can't you see how I light up  
every time you walk into the room?  
At night I dream you'll stay  
Be by my side every step of the way  
Would you say yes?  
Would you stay with me?  
I wish I hadn't lost that moment with you_

The world seemed to fade away around them, and it was like they were back in the days of their youth: a playful, silly prince and a reserved, strong-willed troll, seemingly at odds and yet always understanding of each other. Rosiepuff had several suitors over the years, and Peppy, Malcolm, and Oaken had been the most persistent. But she never noticed any seriousness from Peppy, and he certainly never brought up marriage before. Thinking back, Rosiepuff wondered just how many signs she missed.

 _You enchant me  
Every part of you  
Your voice  
Your eyes  
Your heart_

 _When I'm with you, my words just stop  
Can't say a thing with you around  
But I swear that I'd love you  
Till I am six feet underground_

 _So tell me_

Accepting at last, Rosiepuff took up the next verse. The song quickly became a duet

 _Don't you know that I love you?  
Can't you see how I light up  
every time you walk into the room?  
At night I dream you'll stay  
Be by my side every step of the way  
Would you say yes?  
Would you stay with me?  
I wish I hadn't lost that moment with you_

Outside the pod, perched on a tree limb with a perfect view of the romantic duet and dance, Branch and Symphony stayed absolutely silent. Branch grinned warmly at the sight of the smile on his grandmother's face.

"Come on, Symphony. Let's go home." Branch quietly spurred his phoenix into flight. He patted Symphony's neck as she flew. "You want to know the best part about all this? My grandma is finally happy. I always thought there was something keeping her down, and I was afraid she wasn't truly happy being here. For the first time since she got back, I think Grandma is starting to act like her old self." Branch sighed in content. "Finally."

* * *

Peppy may not be as young as he used to be, but he still liked to wake up the same way every morning: cheery, energetic, and ready to start the day. This time, he rolled up slowly and just sat in his bed for several minutes. Finally settling his worries, Peppy got up, dressed in his usual pants and vest, and even combed out his wild hair. Most trolls like to keep their hair neat and tidy. As time went by and Peppy got busier running a kingdom and raising his daughter, he just let his hair do whatever it wanted, which resulted in an Einstein-like hairdo that resembled a lion's mane. Combing didn't do much for Peppy anymore, not that he minded. When he felt ready, he took up his cane and headed out the door. Once outside, he paused and glanced towards Rosiepuff's pod.

 _Please forgive me._ He made his way to the ground, beginning his walk.

"Hey Grandad!"

Peppy smiled as Rosie hopped up to him. "Hello there, Rosebud. Exciting plans for the day?"

"Yep!" Rosie nodded. "Bliss and I are having a Girls' Day. What about you?"

"I told Opal I would help with her trolling painting class today." Peppy said. "The little ones are very eager."

"Sounds like fun!" Rosie said. "Shall I walk you there?"

"No, no, you run along and be with your friend." Peppy said.

"Okay!" Rosie chirped. She hugged her grandfather. "Love you!"

"Love you too, Rosebud." Peppy said. He watched Rosie skip off, without a care in the world, and he sighed quietly. _No turning back._ He reminded himself. He turned and kept walking.

* * *

 _I wanna break through the sky  
Dance on the clouds  
I wanna play in the trees  
Just you and me  
This night is ours_

Rosie groaned in frustration. "No! It's not right!"

Bliss flinched a little. That was the tenth time Rosie said that. "What about it isn't right?"

"Everything!" Rosie pulled at her hair. "The lyrics aren't right, the melody isn't matching, and the notes aren't clicking in my head. I didn't think writing a song would be this hard! I've done it before." She and Bliss stood on the wall near the gate to Bergen Town, practicing music.

"These things take time." Bliss said reassuringly. "I think it's coming along well."

Rosie sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Thanks, Bliss."

"I really do like that last line. 'This night is ours.'" Bliss said. "Keep that one."

"Yeah. I like that line too." Rosie said. "I just need the rest of the song to flow."

"Maybe you can ask someone for help." Bliss suggested. "Like your mom or your dad or your…grandpa….."

"Grandad Peppy? Yeah, he'd be a good one to talk to." Rosie bobbed her head in agreement.

"Uh, he's going into the forest." Bliss said.

Rosie followed Bliss's gaze to see her grandfather walking straight towards the trees of the forest. "That's funny. He told me he was helping Opal with the trollings' painting class today."

"Opal?" Bliss questioned. "She's teaching a painting class in Bergen Town. Trolling painting isn't until tomorrow."

Rosie stared at her grandfather as Peppy disappeared into the forest. "Why would he lie? He's my grandad, he _never_ lies."

"I'm also a bit concerned as to why he's going out into the forest alone." Bliss said. "Not that he can't handle himself, but isn't that dangerous?"

Rosie felt fear gnawing at her stomach. A very strong feeling told her to follow Peppy. She could practically hear a voice urging her to do it. She touched the locket around her neck. "Come on. We're following him."

"I knew you were going to say that." Bliss sighed. She and Rosie ran to the tree closest to the wall and jumped towards it, using their hair to swing themselves down to the forest floor. They trailed behind Peppy, careful to be quiet so he wouldn't detect their presence. Peppy walked with a purpose, indicating he knew exactly where he was going and what he was doing. He didn't stop for a long time. When a snake tried to eat him, Peppy promptly whacked it on the head with his cane and continued on his merry way. The snake slithered away in fear.

"I've never seen him do _that_ before." Rosie whispered to Bliss. "I mean, he's King Peppy. He's the most peaceful, non-violent troll I've ever met."

"This doesn't feel right, Rosie." Bliss said. "Why is he going this way? This part of the forest seems…...creepy…"

Rosie looked around. Despite the late afternoon sun, this part of the forest did feel a bit cool. She had no idea where Peppy was going, or how long he would be out. Why would he leave in secret, anyway?

As the trees grew darker and the vegetation sparser, Rosie gasped softly in realization. "Bliss, we're entering the Western Woods!"

"What?" Bliss covered her mouth when she realized she said that louder than intended. Rosie and Bliss hid behind a tree when Peppy turned around. The old king had a strange feeling he was being watched. But he saw nothing, so he shrugged and kept walking. Rosie and Bliss stayed a short distance behind him. "What is King Peppy doing in the Western Woods?" Bliss whispered to Rosie. "Didn't he make the rule that this place was forbidden?"

"I have a bad feeling that I know where he's going." Rosie gulped.

Sure enough, by the time the sun began to sink past the trees, Peppy reached his destination: Blackwood's tree home. Leftover scorch marks scattered the top of the old tree. Hardly hesitating, Peppy marched right up to the door and knocked briskly. After a moment, the doors creaked open. Peppy stepped inside. Rosie and Bliss managed to duck into the tree just before the doors shut again. They tiptoed after Peppy, following the sound of his footsteps and cane tapping on the floor. The tree was mostly dark, its corridors lit by a trail of lanterns set far apart from each other. Peppy seemed to know exactly where he was going. He stopped outside another set of double doors and knocked. Once more, the doors opened, and Peppy walked in. The doors shut until they were only cracked open. Rosie and Bliss peered in, sticking to the shadows to remain unseen, and saw the interior of a drawing room. A small, rectangular dining table sat in front of a fireplace. A fire crackled in the hearth, and two comfy chairs rested at the table. Blackwood sat in one of the chairs, casually reading a book.

What happened next made Rosie's and Bliss's jaws drop and their eyes widen in horror.

Blackwood glanced to Peppy. "Good evening, Baby Brother."

"Hello, Malcolm." Peppy greeted. "It's been a long time."

* * *

 _Malcolm ducked into an alleyway and pressed himself against the wall. He panted softly as a couple Bergens stampeded past him. He sighed in relief and continued his dash for the Troll Tree. He made sure there were no other Bergens around, and then darted between the bars of the cage and reentered his home. Every pod was dark, each troll inhabitant fast asleep. Malcolm thought for sure this would make things easier for him._

 _He was soon proven wrong._

" _What are you doing here?"_

 _Malcolm had been gazing up at the tree, but quickly looked in front of him to see Peppy appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The younger prince crossed his arms and tapped his foot, glaring at his brother. He had a sword buckled around his hips._

" _What do you mean?" Malcolm asked in response to Peppy's question._

" _You were taken this morning for Trollstice." Peppy said. "How did you escape?"_

" _I just did." Malcolm shrugged._

" _How. Did. You. Escape?" Peppy repeated, his glare harsher. "You can't honestly tell me you just snuck away. We all heard about the chaos in the kitchen that delayed the Trollstice Feast. That was you, wasn't it?"_

 _Malcolm silently cursed himself. "I used my magic to escape."_

" _Magic?" Peppy repeated. "What magic?"_

" _The magic Eclipse gave me." Malcolm explained._

" _Eclipse was banished four years ago. When did this happen?" Peppy demanded._

" _A year after she was exiled, Eclipse visited me in secret." Malcolm explained. "She wanted revenge on Father for banishing her, and on the trolls for not standing up for her. She promised me magic if I helped her, and I agreed. I helped the Bergens find the Troll Tree and capture it. When Eclipse heard the news, she gave me some of her magic." To prove it, Malcolm created a ball of energy in his palms. The sphere of light went out quickly, but Malcolm still smiled with pride. "I haven't quite mastered it yet, but that's okay! After the Bergens captured the Troll Tree, Eclipse said she would find the trolls who managed to escape and create a kingdom for herself in the Western Woods. She gave me three years to escape myself, and that deadline was tonight. So, I gave myself to the Bergens, you see. So I could escape. I came back to take Rosiepuff and you with me. The three of us will go to Eclipse's new kingdom, just like she promised, and we can all live together in harmony and peace."_

 _A range of emotions flashed across Peppy's face, most of them negative ones. "You slimy little rat!" He hissed. "You're the reason the Bergens captured us?! Just for some magic?"_

" _It wasn't just for the magic!" Malcolm protested. "Eclipse wanted revenge, and I may have been the only troll who could help."_

" _So you sentence us to death." Peppy growled. "Rosiepuff included!"_

" _That's why I'm here!" Malcolm said. "You and I are going to take Rosiepuff out of here and leave."_

" _Leave? You mean leave behind our kingdom, our home, our people?"_

" _They betrayed us."_

" _What happened to Eclipse was terrible, but this was not the answer! I can't believe you would do something so horrible!"_

 _Malcolm gawked. "I can't believe you're reacting this way. Don't you want to be free? Then come with me. You can even bring Joy, and you two can be married. I won't leave here without Rosiepuff. Eclipse promised me Rosiepuff and I would be married and given a home in her kingdom."_

" _Rosiepuff is already married, and has a home here." Peppy corrected._

" _She didn't know what she was doing by marrying Oaken." Malcolm argued. "It was a trick. She doesn't belong with him."_

" _Who are you to decide that?"_

" _I love her."_

" _You don't love her. You're obsessed with her. Don't think I don't know about you constantly trying to woo her in secret. She's told me about your constant attempts to convince her to marry you."_

" _Nobody loves her like I do."_

" _Because it's not love."_

 _Malcolm growled. "Oh, what do you know? If you don't want to come with me, fine. Stay here and die like an animal. But I'm going to get Rosiepuff and we're leaving."_

 _Peppy stepped in front of his brother and drew his sword. "Over my dead body."_

 _Malcolm chuckled. "Oh, that can be arranged."_

" _She doesn't want to go with you." Peppy growled. "She's happy."_

" _She'll be happier away from here, won't she?" Malcolm pointed out._

" _Not if she's with you. Get out." Peppy ordered. "What do you think you'll tell the trolls if they see you alive?"_

" _They'll be overjoyed to have their prince home again." Malcolm assured._

" _Will they?" Peppy asked. "Or will they question how you escaped? The Bergens are bigger than us. A single troll doesn't stand a chance against them. You'll have to tell them about your magic, and how do you think they'll react to that?"_

 _Malcolm soon realized his brother had a point. He couldn't explain his escape without revealing his magic, and the trolls may very well ostracize him like they did to Eclipse. He glared at Peppy. "You can't stop me from leaving with the one I love."_

" _Watch me." Peppy jutted his sword towards Malcolm. In response, the older prince lunged forward, grabbed Peppy's wrist, and twisted his arm painfully behind his back._

" _I really don't think you understand, Brother." Malcolm hissed in Peppy's ear. "I'm the one with the power here. I'm the one who makes the decisions. And if you get in my way," he twisted Peppy's arm again, making the young prince growl in pain. "I will kill you."_

 _Peppy heard footsteps, and suddenly Malcolm shouted in pain and flew backwards. Peppy massaged his sore arm as Oaken stood protectively in front of him, wielding a battle axe. Malcolm glared at him, holding his bloody and broken nose._

" _Peppy is right, Malcolm." Oaken growled. "As far as everyone in this tree knows, you're dead. You were a Trollstice Troll, and you will live on in our memory. At least, until we forget all about you."_

 _Malcolm wiped blood away, glaring hatefully at Oaken. "How dare you—"_

" _How dare I what? Marry someone I love? Stop a traitor from killing our prince?" Oaken scoffed. "You're pathetic, Malcolm. You don't belong here anymore. Now go."_

" _You bloody prat!" Malcolm shouted. Suddenly, lightning shot from his fist and hit the ground, kicking up dirt and grass. Malcolm stared at the scorch mark on the ground, rather surprised how easily his magic reacted to his emotions._

" _You don't have control of your magic." Peppy noted. "How do you expect to use it?"_

 _Blood still dribbled down from Malcolm's nose and dripped off his chin. He seethed with anger, directing it to Oaken and Peppy. "I'll be back. I promise you, someday I will return. I am the eldest prince of the Troll Tree, and rightful heir to the throne! I will return to claim my birthright, and Rosiepuff will be my queen."_

" _Don't count on it." Peppy snarled. "Get out."_

 _Malcolm glared at him and Oaken for another moment before turning and sprinting away just as several Bergens arrived to investigate the commotion. Peppy and Oaken made their way back to their respective homes._

" _He will return, you know." Peppy said. "He's stubborn and mad."_

" _We'll be ready for him." Oaken promised._

* * *

 **A/N: All I have to say is, "Mwahahahahahaha!"**


	26. The Love of a King

**A/N: You guys make me laugh. I had so many people cussing in their reviews, which clearly conveyed how much I shocked people with that last twist. Yay! I shocked you all! :D I love writing.**

 **Frozen Tinkerbell Potter-Lover15 – If you hardly ever use the F-bomb, then I must've really shocked you this time. Wow. I had to really stifle my laughter so my mom wouldn't stare at me strangely.**

 **Jpbake – You know, I thought about PMing you and asking what word you actually used, but I think I'm afraid to ask.**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – Huh, I never noticed that trend with the princes before. I think, subconsciously, I'm just showing my love and fascination with the monarchy and some of the crazy things that happen, especially in the British monarchy.**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Yeah, I don't think they were fully prepared either. :D**

 **Guest – I made you gasp and stop reading? That's how much I shocked you? Yikes, maybe I'm too good. :D**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Six – The Love of a King**

Rosiepuff awoke that morning with a smile on her face and newfound energy. She speedily donned her dress and coat and went out to start the day. The dance and song last night replayed in her mind, over and over again. She hummed to herself, her smile unwavering. It was a pleasant surprise to find herself falling in love with Peppy. When they were young, she never saw any sign that he wanted to marry her. Then again, she was also being courted by Oaken at the time, and she spent an equal amount of time dodging Malcolm's advances.

Poor Malcolm. He was head-over-heels for her. Despite her attempts, Rosiepuff couldn't dissuade him from pursuing her. It was nothing against Malcolm. There were certain things about his personality that Rosiepuff felt didn't fit with her own. He shared similarities with his father, unfortunately. She just didn't think they fit well as anything more than friends. Yet, even though she tried to explain this to him, Malcolm continued to propose any time he got her alone. It was a bit creepy.

 _I wonder what life might have been like if Peppy_ had _proposed to me, and I agreed._ Rosiepuff wondered. _Might have been much different compared to life now. Although, I guess Poppy and Branch wouldn't have been born. And we may never have become friends with the Bergens. I'm quite certain I wouldn't have found some of the friends I lost, like Symphony._

Speaking of which, Rosiepuff glanced up at the sound of a bird cry, and she saw Symphony fly overhead. Symphony landed before Rosiepuff, Branch astride the phoenix's back.

"Hey Grandma!" Branch greeted.

"How are the skies today?" Rosiepuff asked, petting Symphony's head when the bird nuzzled her.

"Clear and calm." Branch said, sliding off Symphony. "You and I should go flying sometime. It's quite an experience."

"Believe me, I know." Rosiepuff said. "I had the pleasure of riding Symphony before. She certainly knows how to make the ride interesting."

Branch laughed, remembering the aerial tricks Symphony treated him to this morning. "By the way, did Peppy check up on you last night?"

"Yes, thank you for sending him over." Rosiepuff said. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"I'm just glad you're feeling better." Branch said. Symphony nudged him, wanting attention, and he stroked her head. "You two seem to be getting along, hmm?"

Rosiepuff crossed her arms and smirked. "You were spying on us, weren't you?"

Branch shrugged innocently. "Maybe."

"You haven't changed a bit. When you were a boy, you would spy on your grandfather and I during our anniversary, and giggle like a madman when we started singing together. You even used to sneak into your grandfather's armor and play with his sword all the time." Rosiepuff laughed. "I thought for sure you would cut a limb off."

"Well, at least watching you fall in love with King Peppy is less life-threatening." Branch said.

Rosiepuff tousled his hair. She looked a little sheepish now. "You don't mind, do you? That he and I are falling in love? It doesn't mean I love your grandfather any less and I'm not trying to forget him."

"Of course not." Branch said. "Grandma, if being with him makes you happy, then do it. I just want you to be happy, whatever you do."

Rosiepuff smiled and hugged her grandson. "That's my sweet little angel."

"Grandma." Branch whined a little, sounding like how he did as a toddler.

"Hey, I'm your grandma, I'm allowed to embarrass you no matter what age you are." Rosiepuff said, even pinching Branch's cheek for good measure. She laughed when he pouted a little, rubbing his cheek even as a smile tugged at his lips.

"Hey Branch!" Poppy called as she jogged towards him, cradling baby Ash in her arms. "Oh, hello Rosiepuff!"

"Hello." Rosiepuff nodded in greeting. She tousled Ash's hair.

"What's up, Pop?" Branch asked.

"Have either of you seen my dad?" Poppy asked. "He seems to be missing."

"I haven't seen him since last night." Rosiepuff said.

"Now that I think about it, I don't think I saw him at all while I was flying Symphony." Branch mused. "Did you check his house?"

"Yeah, and he wasn't there." Poppy said. "In fact, I don't think he even had breakfast."

"That's a bit odd." Rosiepuff murmured.

"I'm sure he's just helping out around the kingdom." Branch said. "Let's ask around."

The trio of trolls, followed by Symphony, journeyed to the park first. Peppy knew the trollings loved to hear his stories, and he often visited to park to talk to them.

"Hey Daffodil!" Poppy waved to a yellow troll with golden yellow hair as they approached the park. "Have you seen my dad at all today?"

"No, I haven't." Daffodil said. "Quite a shame. The trollings were hoping he would come by and tell them stories today."

"Well, thanks anyway." Poppy looked a bit dejected as she walked off with Branch, Rosiepuff, and Symphony.

"He's gotta be around here somewhere." Rosiepuff said. "Maybe he's—"

"King Branch! Queen Poppy!"

The trolls paused and turned as a little troll girl with bright red curly hair ran up to them. "Hey there, Tulip." Branch greeted, going down on one knee as the child approached.

"When is King Peppy coming back from his trip?" Tulip asked.

"What trip?" Poppy asked.

"I saw him today." Tulip said. "He said he was gonna help in the painting class. But that's not until tomorrow. And then I saw him go to the gate."

"What gate?" Rosiepuff asked. Tulip pointed to the front gate to Bergen Town and Troll Grove.

"Why was he going that way?" Branch wondered.

"He said he was gonna see a friend of his." Tulip said. "Will he be back tomorrow?"

"Uh, yeah." Branch nodded. "I think he will."

"Yippee!" Tulip cheered as she skipped off.

Branch stood and turned to Poppy. "There aren't any other troll tribes in the forest, are there?"

"Only the one or two that we know about." Poppy answered. "But they're miles away. One tribe lives up in the mountains far north of here, and the other tribe we haven't heard from in decades. If Dad was going to see them, he would've told me."

"So what would he be doing heading in that direction?" Branch wondered, staring at the front gate. Ash fussed and whined a little, and Poppy bounced him soothingly.

"Hey Poppy! Branch! Rosiepuff!" This time it was Cooper who called out to them, and the entire Snack Pack—Creek included—came running up to them.

"Have you seen Rosie?" Creek asked.

"Uh, her other friends are asking too, not just him." Cooper piped up.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Branch huffed. He paused. "Wait, Rosie's missing too?"

"Too?" Suki repeated.

"Who else is missing?" Smidge asked.

"My dad." Poppy said. "I haven't seen him all day."

"We haven't seen Rosie all day either." Biggie said.

"And we can't find Bliss." Satin added.

"You understand our concern, considering what happened last time they disappeared like this." Chenille guessed.

"Last time…" Branch glanced back to the front gate. "Blackwood wouldn't pull the same move twice, would he?"

"He might. Just to throw us off. See if we'd fall for it again." Creek said.

"Let's not panic." Poppy said. "Maybe they're just somewhere around Bergen Town and forgot to tell us."

"Maybe." Branch took Ash and handed the baby off to Rosiepuff. "Grandma, I want you to take Ash and go to Cybil's house. Stay there until we get back. Biggie, Smidge, stay with them. I don't want to take any chances in case it really is Blackwood's doing. The rest of us will fly on Symphony up to Gristle and Bridget and ask them about Peppy, Rosie, and Bliss. If that doesn't bring any answers, we'll head to the forest."

Rosiepuff reluctantly nodded and walked off with Biggie and Smidge. Ash continued to whine fretfully, and Rosiepuff shushed him softly. "What's eating him?" Smidge asked.

"Babies fuss when they sense tension." Rosiepuff said. _Or when they feel something bad is going to happen. Ash feels something._

"Let's just get to Cybil's and wait for Branch's all-clear." Biggie urged.

* * *

"Good evening, Baby Brother."

"Hello, Malcolm. It's been a long time."

Blackwood/Malcolm shut his book. "Come. Take a seat. Have a drink."

"Thank you." Peppy said, sitting in the spare chair at the table.

"Why don't you join us, girls?" Malcolm snapped his fingers. Before Rosie or Bliss could react, two more chairs scooted up from behind them, scooped up the girls, and pulled them right up to the table.

Rosie chuckled nervously. "Hey Grandad."

"Hi King Peppy." Bliss waved a little.

"Good evening, girls." Peppy said. "You were not supposed to follow me."

"Sorry." The girls chorused in monotone voices.

Malcolm snapped his fingers again. Four glass goblets and a bottle of wine floated through the doors and settled on the table. The wine bottle poured drinks for all four trolls before settling on the table. The cups slid to the four trolls. Malcolm and Peppy each took a drink. But when Bliss and Rosie tried to do the same, they gagged and spit the wine back out as quietly as they could.

"Not bad." Peppy mused.

"My own private reserve." Malcolm said. "Only the best for you, Brother."

"I'm honored." Peppy said. "Though I'm assuming you don't have drinking company very often."

"Well, Rosiepuff never accepted my offer, and I certainly wasn't going to drink with that rat Creek." Malcolm shrugged. "And let's face it: I just can't have a drink with Reaper. Then I'd be called the 'Crazy Bird Man.'" He and Peppy chuckled amusedly.

"Your home appears mostly fixed." Peppy noted. "Not much damage left."

"It's a miracle I got it to this point with how busy I've been." Malcolm said. "That fire did a lot of damage, and it took quite a bit of work to get it done. I mean, every door in this place is custom-made. You can't replace those things."

"Sounds like the old royal pod." Peppy mused. "What was that one thing Father insisted on having in every room? A fireplace?"

"And a library." Malcolm added.

"Now, I can completely understand the library part." Peppy said. "But the fireplace? He wanted such an ornate mantle, each one different. I appreciate the warmth in the winter, but that just seemed like too much."

"I'll say." Malcolm chuckled. "Remember the silk bedspreads? Freezing cold in the winter."

"I had to beg Taylor for some wool pajamas." Peppy laughed. "I swear I was going to bed with mittens, earmuffs, and my winter boots." The brothers laughed at the memories, continuing to sip their drinks.

"Rosie." Bliss whispered.

"Yeah?" Rosie asked.

"This is awkward."

"Yeah, but I think just for us."

"What was that?" Malcolm asked.

"Nothing!" Rosie quickly grabbed her cup and took a few sips of her wine.

"Rosebud, my dear, you don't have to drink this." Peppy said. "In fact, I would prefer if you didn't. You're underage."

Rosie spit the wine back into her cup and pushed the goblet away from her. "Thanks, Grandad."

Malcolm chuckled. "Oh do calm yourself, Princess. I have no intention of harming you or your friend."

"Uh, no offense, Mr. Blackwood," Bliss piped up timidly. "I have a little trouble believing that."

Malcolm seemed to ponder this for a moment, and then shrugged. "All right, Peppy, I'm assuming you didn't just come here for a drink and to exchange pleasantries."

"Afraid not. But it was good to talk to you." Peppy said.

Malcolm hummed in disbelief. "Let me guess: you want me to leave your family alone."

"I want you to stop hurting all the trolls in my kingdom, including my family." Peppy corrected.

"Your kingdom." Malcolm scoffed, swirling around the wine in his glass.

"Yes, _my_ kingdom." Peppy affirmed. "Because I was the king of the Troll Tree, not you."

Rosie and Bliss jumped when Malcolm's glass shattered in his tight grip. "I am the prince of the Troll Tree."

"Who was taken by Bergens—"

"You banished me without reason."

"—and never heard from again." Peppy finished as though Malcolm did not speak. "So Father had to pass the crown to me and solely to me. The kingdom was mine to protect. I still hold power, and therefore I still have the responsibility to protect my people from threats." His eyes settled into a soft glare, which he directed at Malcolm. _"Any_ threats."

"And you thought you could come here and convince me to just leave the Troll Tree alone?" Malcolm scoffed.

"I know you, Brother." Peppy said. "I know how you are. You like to make deals. I know very well that what I am asking for comes at a hefty price."

"Indeed it does." Malcolm smirked, leaning back in his chair. He snapped his fingers, and Rosie's wine glass scooted across the table and into Malcolm's hand. Malcolm tossed the wine inside into the fire and then refilled the cup. "I'll indulge you, Peppy. What exactly do you have to offer in return for my cease and desist?" He took a sip of his drink.

Peppy stared at the flames of the fireplace. "Me."

Malcolm spewed his drink. Rosie and Bliss stared at Peppy with shock in their wide eyes. "Grandad, what are you doing?" Rosie whispered.

Peppy ignored Rosie. "What do you say, Malcolm? Me in exchange for the kingdom?"

Malcolm wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Exactly how would that give me any satisfaction? How is that the best you can offer?"

"Well, let me walk you through it." Peppy said, standing from his chair. He slowly made his way to his brother. "You want the kingdom. Technically, the kingdom is not mine. It belongs to Branch and Poppy because I retired. So I can't give you the kingdom. I do not own Rosiepuff in any way, shape, or form. She has free will and can do as she pleases. So I can't give you her. You've already done away with Oaken." Malcolm opened his mouth, but Peppy spoke before he could. "Don't even try to deny it. I know about your trading with Chef. Oaken was taken on Trollstice. You can't tell me you didn't take him as part of that trade agreement. That just leaves me, the prince who got the throne and the brother who banished you without remorse. The trolls adore and revere me, Malcolm. I am their greatest king." He stood in front of Malcolm now, who hadn't moved from his chair. "Imagine how much pain and misery you will cause the kingdom by killing me."

"It wouldn't be that much." Bliss blurted out. "I mean, he was an okay king, I guess, but losing him wouldn't hurt that much."

"Ignore her. You know she's lying." Peppy said. "Think about it. You can figure out how to get Rosiepuff on your own. But if you can't have the kingdom, shouldn't they be punished for denying their prince?"

Malcolm stared at Peppy thoughtfully. "I like the way you talk, Brother."

Before Malcolm could raise his hand, Peppy slapped his cane onto the grey troll's wrist. "It has to be a Blood Oath, Malcolm. A Magic Blood Oath."

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Oh, you know about those."

"I did my research." Peppy said. "Make it a Magic Blood Oath, and I die without a fight."

"Let me get this straight: you will sacrifice yourself willingly, and I won't get to harm any troll of the Troll Tree Kingdom; but, at the same time, I'll get the pleasure of ridding myself of you."

"That about sums it up." Peppy nodded.

Malcolm didn't say anything for a moment. "Under normal circumstances, I would not fall for such a ploy. But the thought of finally getting rid of you is just too good of an opportunity to pass up. I accept."

Peppy released Malcolm, and the sorcerer stood from his chair and headed for the door. "Come along, girls." Peppy told Rosie and Bliss. "We'll need witnesses for this."

"Are you crazy?" Bliss hissed as they followed Peppy and Malcolm out the door.

Rosie stood close to her grandfather and whispered so Malcolm wouldn't hear. "Grandad, I'm not doing this. I won't watch you…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

"Rosie, I need you to trust me." Peppy whispered back to her.

"But—"

"It'll be okay." Peppy wrapped an arm round her and kissed her head. "It's going to be all right."

They arrived at the spellcasting chambers, where Malcolm pulled down a thick book and set it up on a podium. He flipped through it until he came to the right page. "'The Magic Blood Oath requires the shedding of blood from all parties involved. Each party states their terms. Providing none of the terms conflict, the parties involved must openly state that they agree to the terms. Except in special circumstance cases, the Magic Blood Oath is in effect immediately after terms are accepted by all parties involved.' Seems straightforward. Shall we continue?"

"No." Rosie said, standing protectively in front of Peppy. "I'm not going to let you do this." With a simple flick of his wrist, Malcolm sent Rosie and Bliss across the room and crashing into the wall. Sticks shot up from the floor and created a cage around the two girls.

"Malcolm…..." Peppy growled.

"The deal is not in effect yet. They are simply witnesses, and witnesses are _silent._ " Malcolm growled that last word at Rosie and Bliss.

Rosie banged her shoulder against the stick bars. "Bliss, get us out of here!" She said in a hushed voice.

"My lock pick won't work on wooden bars!" Bliss protested.

Malcolm picked up a dagger from the desk, and he sliced open his palm. He tossed the blade to Peppy, who did the same to his own hand. Malcolm returned the dagger to his desk, and he and Peppy gripped each other's wrists as though in a handshake.

" _Magisk Blod Ed."_ Once Malcolm spoke the enchantment, what looked like glowing thread appeared to wrap around his and Peppy's interlocked arms. "My terms are these: as long as you live, I can do what I please to the trolls. Your surrender to me means I kill you in any way I see fit. I will not harm the trolls, but I must be allowed to see Rosiepuff when I please."

"Very well." Peppy said after careful consideration. "My terms are these: you will not harm a single citizen in the Troll Tree or Bergen Kingdoms. In exchange, my life is yours for the taking. But if you physically harm anyone—troll or Bergen—your punishment is instant death."

Malcolm narrowed his eyes. "Very well. I accept the terms of this agreement."

"I, too, accept the terms." Peppy said. The glowing thread disappeared, leaving behind dark lines on the trolls' skin where it once lay.

Rosie rammed her shoulder into the cage again. "Grandad, no!"

"Shut up!" Malcolm snapped.

"You made the deal, so just kill me already and get it over with." Peppy practically ordered.

Malcolm sighed and shook his head. "Oh, Peppy, I'm afraid I will not be granting you the mercy of a swift demise."

Bliss involuntarily let out a scream when Malcolm's blast of magic sent Peppy into the wall. Rosie punched at the bars of the cage. "Leave him alone!" She yelled.

Malcolm ignored the girls as he marched up to his brother. He grabbed Peppy by the throat and hoisted him into the hair, slamming him against the wall. "You know, it's funny. All of my magic I possess, and I still prefer to strangle people when I want to kill them."

Peppy choked and gasped, clawing at Malcolm's fingers. "It suits you." He growled out.

Malcolm chuckled. "It's just so much more satisfying. So much more personal. I literally have your life in my hands." He pushed harder against Peppy's throat. "And I decide how much longer you get to live." Peppy could hardly get a breath in now, his eyes rolling back in their sockets. "I'm not going to kill you yet, Brother. There are just a few more things I want to do first."

In seconds, everything changed. First, the doors flew open. Then, an arrow whizzed through the air and impaled Malcolm's arm. He screamed in pain, releasing Peppy so he could hold his wounded arm. Someone came up and smashed a book into Malcolm's face, sending him reeling.

Peppy gasped and coughed as air rushed back into his lungs. He looked up to see who saved him, and his eyes widened in horror. "Poppy…"

The pink troll had never looked so angry. "Get away from him." She snarled at Malcolm.

"You messed with the wrong family, Blackwood." Branch said, readying fireballs in both palms. Creek drew another arrow and loaded it into his bow. The Snack Pack members who tagged along hurried to Rosie and Bliss to break them out of their cage.

"And I am so sick and tired of you!" Malcolm launched a few magic blasts to Branch and Creek, who ducked out of the way. Branch threw the fire in his palms. Creek fired another arrow. Malcolm deflected both of them.

"Stop!" Peppy shouted, quickly standing. "Stop!"

"What?" Creek gawked a little. "What do you mean, 'stop'?"

"None of you are supposed to be here." Peppy said.

"We knew something was up when you went missing." Poppy said, putting herself between Malcolm and her father. "I'm glad I listened to my gut."

"You thought you could get away with murdering him?" Branch growled at Malcolm.

"It's not murder. It's just a little business deal." Malcolm said.

"What deal?" Creek demanded.

"The deal I willingly made with him." Peppy answered. "To protect all of you."

"By letting him kill you?" Branch scoffed. "No way. Not on my watch."

Malcolm grinned at Peppy maliciously. "Well, Peppy, since the deal isn't in effect yet…" He launched a barrage of magical blasts towards Branch and Creek. Branch deflected the blows while Creek fired more arrows. Malcolm obliterated every shot fired, and he sent a tidal wave of lightning towards his opponents. Branch created a shield in front of him and Creek. By then, Rosie and Bliss were finally free. When Malcolm directed lightning towards the Snack Pack, Rosie, and Bliss, Branch had to create another shield to protect them. The battle came to a stalemate then as the sorcerers put all their energy to attacking/defending.

"Poppy, you must get out of here." Peppy urged.

"I'm not leaving you here to die. No troll left behind." Poppy said with determination.

"You can't help me, Poppy. Not this time." Peppy said. "I'm doing this to protect you. To protect everyone."

"Things change." Poppy refused to move. She gasped when Peppy grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around to face him. He had a look of pure distraught on his face.

"I didn't want you to see this." Peppy breathed. "You shouldn't have to watch this. I can only hope you understand why I'm doing it."

"Dad, you think it's the best way to protect the kingdom, but it's not." Poppy said. "You don't have to do this."

Peppy smiled, tears coming to his eyes. "I do. As a king, and as a father, I do." He hugged Poppy tightly. "I love you."

Poppy returned the embrace, desperate to not let go. "Dad—"

Suddenly, Peppy shoved her aside, and Poppy hit the ground hard. She heard a crackle of electricity, and the sickening _thud_ of a body hitting the wall and then the floor. Poppy looked up to see her father in front of her, smoke curling off his body.

" _DAD!"_ Poppy screamed.

Branch let out a shout of pure fury, and he threw his strongest magical blast towards Malcolm. The sorcerer dodged the attack and even ducked when Creek threw his dagger. Malcolm hopped onto the windowsill and leaped out into the cool night air. Reaper was there to catch him, taking the sorcerer far away from the tree.

"Damn it!" Branch slammed his fist into the wall.

"Dad!" Poppy rolled Peppy onto his back. He lay completely still and silent, a scorch mark on his chest from where Malcolm's magic hit. Poppy desperately tried to shake him awake. "No, no, no, don't do this to me." She still didn't get a response from Peppy. "Creek! The crystal!"

"Right, right!" Creek knelt beside Peppy and activated the Phoenix Tear Crystal.

"Symphony!" Branch whistled for his phoenix steed. Rosie and Bliss tried to step towards Peppy, but Cooper, Suki, Satin, Chenille, Guy Diamond, and Fuzzbert held them back.

Creek tried to press the glowing crystal to Peppy's chest. But soon after he did, the light went out. "Come on, come on!" Creek tried again, only to be met with the same results.

"Here, try this!" Branch arrived, holding a vial of Symphony's tears. He gently poured the healing liquid onto the wound. Again, nothing seemed to happen. "Why isn't is working?"

Once more, Creek tried the Phoenix Tear Crystal. It went out yet again. "Why is it doing that?" Poppy demanded. "Why won't it work?"

"Because it doesn't work on someone who's…." Creek swallowed, his hands clenching into fists. "…who's….already….dead…."

Poppy blanched. "No. No! He can't be…..he's…" She tried shaking Peppy again. "Dad, wake up! Get up, Dad, please! Please don't leave me!" Tears welled up in her eyes. "Please, please don't leave me, Dad." Reality hit her like a sledgehammer to the heart, and she collapsed into sobs. She hugged her father, crying into his chest.

It was silent in the tree except for Poppy's sobs. Rosie leaned on Cooper for support, and the llama troll held her close. Satin and Chenille both hugged Bliss tightly. Suki, Guy Diamond, and Fuzzbert wouldn't look towards Poppy or Peppy. Creek clipped the Phoenix Tear Crystal around his neck, his hands shaking. He and Branch stood and stepped away from Poppy to let her grieve. Even Symphony did not make a sound from her perch on the tree limb outside the window.

After a few minutes, Creek gulped down the lump in his throat. "Branch, we can't stay here." He whispered. "Blackwood may be gone, but the Western Woods are still dangerous."

Branch nodded slowly. He stared at Peppy. "Let's get him home."

* * *

The trolls rode Symphony in silence. The phoenix gently carried Peppy's body in her talons, ever-so-careful with the transport. When they arrived at the Troll Tree, many trolls and Bergens anxiously waited for them, including Bridget and Gristle. Tulip pointed out Symphony, and the trolls gathered around. Symphony willowy swooped down and lay Peppy on the ground before landing a short distance away. It didn't take long for the trolls to figure out their revered former king was dead. Cybil, Rosiepuff, Biggie, and Smidge arrived on the scene. Cybil cradled Ash in one arm while her free hand flew to her mouth in horror. Rosiepuff collapsed to her knees, in complete shock. Biggie and Smidge were speechless. The trolls riding Symphony slowly slid off her back. A couple trolls fetched a stretcher, and Branch and Creek worked together to bring Peppy to the royal pod. The king was placed on the bed in a guest room, his body covered with a sheet out of respect for the dead. Branch guided Poppy from the room, the pink queen still crying mournfully.

Rosie and Bliss were still in shock as they sat in the drawing room with Branch, Poppy, Cybil, Rosiepuff, and the Snack Pack. Cybil poured everyone some tea, but nobody really drank any.

"Girls, this is not your fault." Branch told Rosie and Bliss. "We just need to know what happened."

Rosie didn't speak, so Bliss outlined everything that happened from earlier that day, when she and Rosie were practicing music on the wall. She told them about how they followed Peppy into the forest, the discovery that Blackwood was really the former prince Malcolm, and the Magic Blood Oath Peppy made with Malcolm to protect the kingdom.

"He knew exactly what to say to get under Black—uh, Malcolm's skin." Bliss said. "He knew how to get Malcolm to do what he wanted. He did it all to protect us."

Rosiepuff set her teacup aside and rose from her seat. She left the room, completely silent. Cybil quickly followed her. Poppy also left, and Branch trailed after her. Satin and Chenille pulled their surrogate daughter into another hug.

"You two were so brave." Satin said.

"You did the right thing by following him." Chenille agreed.

"So why couldn't we save him?" Rosie murmured.

Cooper nuzzled his head against Rosie's skull. "There was nothing you could do. At least we have answers for the rest of the kingdom."

Rosie pulled off her hat, staring at it for a long moment. "I should've done something." She accepted Cooper's invitation to hug, and the rest of the Snack Pack gathered around for a group hug.

Creek noticed something change about Rosie. His eyes widened when he saw her hair develop more black streaks, and her pretty purple skin color faded. _Oh no…_

Cybil followed Rosiepuff out of the royal pod and onto the branches of the dead-silent Troll Tree. "Rosiepuff, wait!" The purple troll paused, and Cybil stopped behind her. "Did you know? Did you know that he was really…."

Rosiepuff slowly turned to face Cybil. "Yes. When he first took me all those years ago. I could recognize him even when grey."

"And you didn't tell anyone?" Cybil asked, sounding surprised.

"Because I wanted to keep believing Malcolm was dead!" Rosiepuff snapped. "He and I didn't have the best relationship by the time he was taken at Trollstice. It's a horrible thing to say, but it was almost a relief to hear he was taken. And then I have to run into him again and find out he's even crazier than I remember! And now he's…." Rosiepuff swallowed thickly, trying to keep her tears back.

Cybil slowly came closer and put her hand on Rosiepuff's shoulder. "This isn't your fault."

"I know it's not my fault." Rosiepuff sighed. "I didn't do anything to lead him on or make him think I was interested. But I was still his target. I'm the one he was obsessed with. What if I could've done something to prevent this?"

"Like what?" Cybil asked calmly.

"Like anything! I would've given anything to keep this from happening!" Rosiepuff turned away from Cybil, tears once more streaming down her cheeks. Cybil shushed her softly, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

Branch followed Poppy back into the room where they placed her father's body. Poppy stared at the bed, fresh tears in her eyes. When Branch touched her shoulder, Poppy spun around and buried her face into the crook of his shoulder. Branch held her close, rubbing her back soothingly.

"I can't do it, Branch." Poppy's voice was muffled as she spoke into Branch's neck. "I can't…...I can't…..b-b—" Her cries drowned out her voice.

It clicked in Branch's head. _Burn him._ A troll funeral involved burning the body of the deceased. It was the right of the family to burn the body, and Poppy was Peppy's only living blood family besides Malcolm or Rosie. This wouldn't be easy for her, but Branch wouldn't dare take away that right which belonged solely to Poppy.

Branch looked down in thought. "Maybe I can fix that."

* * *

After a few days, the Troll Tree Kingdom gathered for King Peppy's funeral. Gristle, Bridget, and the entire population of Bergen Town also came to mourn. Peppy's body was placed in a glass coffin, his cane resting beside him. After closing the lid to the coffin, Branch looked to the spell book Rosiepuff held out to him. He carefully recited the words from the book, his hands held out with his palms facing the coffin. A sparkly gold dust materialized in the air and settled over the coffin. When Branch finished, he looked exhausted, but satisfied. Remnants of the gold dust sparkled on the lid of the coffin.

"Now, as long as the lid remains shut, even time can't hurt him." Branch told Poppy. "It'll look like he's just sleeping."

Poppy gave a watery grin and nodded in thanks. She glanced out to the masses of trolls. She, Branch, Rosie, Cooper, and Rosiepuff stood up on a mushroom to address the kingdoms. "Can…um….can you start it?" Poppy requested to Branch. "I'm not quite ready."

"Of course." Branch kissed her cheek and approached the front of the stage. He stared out at the trolls. Several of them had faded colors and gray tips in their hair from their intense sadness. Branch cleared his throat. "Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss. King Peppy was, as you all know, one of the greatest kings in our history. He was brave and strong, and exceptionally kind. He did things that even his own father wouldn't dream of doing. He managed to run an entire kingdom and raise his daughter as a single parent at the same time. That's pretty incredible, and that only accounts for a few of the amazing things he did.

"King Peppy was, arguably, the greatest King of the Trolls who ever lived. Therefore, I think you have the right to know exactly how he died." Branch's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "King Peppy was murdered by his brother, the former prince Malcolm." Just as he expected, Branch heard several gasps from the older trolls in the crowd. "Prince Malcolm was banished for crimes against the crown, and he returned as the sorcerer we know as Blackwood. Now, I'm not certain King Peppy would've wanted me to tell you this, but I think not to do so would be an insult to his memory."

Branch glanced back to his grandmother. Rosiepuff nodded minutely, indicating she agreed with his decision to tell the trolls the full truth. Branch took a moment to compose himself and calm his anger. "Now, the pain we feel from this horrible loss should remind us that even though we're all different colors, different personalities, different trolls, we're still one kingdom and our hearts beat as one. We unite together during times of sadness. I see the faded colors and grey tones in all of you, which is why we need to stick together now more than ever. Do that, and King Peppy will not have died in vain. Remember the bonds you have, be they bonds of family or friendship or just love in general. Remember that, and we will celebrate the life of a king who loved all of us so much that he was willing to give his life for us."

Looking back to his wife, Branch saw Poppy standing a little taller, more confident. He stepped aside and wrapped an arm around his daughter in a side-hug. Poppy stepped forward, and she inhaled and exhaled slowly. "My dad was and still is my hero. Growing up, I learned how to be a leader from him. Every day, I wondered if I would ever be as great of a ruler as him. Even today, I wonder that. After all, look at all the great things my dad did. But the memories I cherish the most are the ones when he was just my dad and not a king." Poppy smiled fondly. "The nights he would tell me stories and sing me lullabies. Those walks we took in the forest, when he kept pulling me back from every hole I wanted to crawl into. He wasn't afraid to let me explore, but he was always there to watch and make sure I didn't hurt myself. He was the best dad in the entire world." Tears came to Poppy's eyes again. She shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she opened her eyes, her gaze went skyward. "I miss you, Dad. I knew that I would be leading the kingdom without you someday. But I didn't want you to go….especially not like this….."

Poppy sniffled, wiping her tears away. Branch, Rosie, Cooper, and Rosiepuff came up to envelope her in a group hug. Branch began to sing.

 _I've climbed mountains that touch the sky  
Crossed the valleys and plains  
Swam the swiftest rivers  
And went dancing in the rain_

Poppy sighed softly. She gathered her strength and took up the next verse.

 _I followed my heart  
Every now and then I roam  
But no matter where I go  
I'll always come home_

Rosie, Rosiepuff, and Cooper took up the next few lines. The rest of the trolls slowly started to join the chorus. Branch kept Poppy's eyes on him, willing his strength to become hers.

 _This is where we belong  
It's the place we call home  
It's where my family waits  
And where my true colors shone_

The entire Troll Tree Kingdom sang now: one, big, harmonious choir of melodious voices blending together in honor of their deceased king. Gristle, Bridget, and the rest of the Bergens were in awe. None of them wanted to try and sing with them, in fear of ruining the beautiful yet sorrowful scene.

 _No matter where I go  
How far I may roam  
This is my place  
The place I call home_

* * *

 **A/N: Whew. That was…actually really hard to write…**

 **Harry Potter fans will recognize parts of that speech from** _ **Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.**_ **The song at the end is a poem by me. Not my best work, though.**

 **If this chapter was much too depressing and not a great way to start the weekend, go back and read Chapter Five of** _ **Kung Fu Troll!**_


	27. Cloud Guy Drops By

**A/N: Turns out that last chapter made a lot of you cry. Honestly, I was sad to write it. Here's another angsty one for you! :D**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – Thank you for the kind words! Honestly, it's just more fun to put the readers on a roller coaster of emotions.**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Whoa, kill off Cooper? I don't think even I'm that evil.**

 **SilverG – Uh, you might want to put the bat away in case you hit your computer during this next chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven – Cloud Guy Drops By**

Branch approached the purple/green pod, his movements slow and his head hung. He hesitated before knocking on the door. After being permitted entry, he stepped into the pod and found Rosiepuff sitting at her piano, absent-mindedly playing the song Peppy sang to her the night before he left.

"Hey." Branch said as he came to stand beside the piano. "Haven't seen you out and about lately."

Rosiepuff shrugged. "I just needed to be alone."

Branch nodded in understanding. Peppy's funeral had been just a few days ago, and the coffin with his body was moved to a special chamber in the royal pod. Poppy went down every day to stare at the coffin, utterly silent.

Rosiepuff scooted over, and Branch sat in the empty space on the piano bench. "How are you feeling?" Branch asked.

"I'm not feeling guilt, if that's what you mean." Rosiepuff said. "I don't blame myself for Peppy's death. I only wish I could've done something more to save him."

"Yeah, me too." Branch said.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the full truth about Malcolm." Rosiepuff said. "Truth be told, we did lose him. It wasn't until after he captured me did I find out he was alive all this time. After seeing the full extent of his cruelty, I was ashamed to think that I was once his friend. But that shouldn't have prevented me from telling you the truth."

Branch nodded slowly. He tapped a few keys on the piano, in harmony with his grandmother's playing. "Why does he hate us?"

Rosiepuff sighed. "He doesn't hate us, Branch. He thinks he loves me. And he thinks the best way to show his love is by obliterating every man who ever showed interest in me." She stopped playing the piano. "Or by killing the ones I actually fell in love with."

"Did you ever care about him?" Branch asked.

"Yes. He was a very dear friend, and I did everything I could to help him." Rosiepuff said. "But he wasn't satisfied with just being my friend. He had to be my husband or my lover, and I couldn't dissuade him no matter how many times we talked or how many times I threatened to punch him."

Branch tapped a few random keys on the piano. "I wish Peppy hadn't done what he did. The price for Blackwood—uh, Malcolm leaving us alone was too high."

Rosiepuff shook her head. "Peppy did what any good king would've done. He tried to end this peacefully."

"Peacefully?" Branch repeated. "Malcolm murdered him."

"Peppy went on his own free will, with a desire to protect his people, when he could have just as easily tried to start a fight." Rosiepuff said. "Violence is never the answer. Kindness is the real power that has the ability to move others. A true king would think of everyone else before he thinks of himself." She smiled softly at Branch. "You do the same thing, you know. So does Poppy, and so does Rosie."

Branch stared at the piano keys. "I can't get Poppy to smile anymore."

Rosiepuff pulled Branch into a side-hug, sighing softly. After a few more moments of comforting, Rosiepuff moved her hands back to the piano and began to smiled a little when he recognized the tune, remembering the song his grandmother used to sing to him which later became the Soulmate Song between him and Poppy. He played a harmony on a lower octave on the piano, joining Rosiepuff in her song.

* * *

Rosie didn't do so well following her grandfather's death. More black streaks appeared in her hair, and her lavender skin color continued to fade. She locked herself in her room, often just laying on her bed and staring at her ceiling.

Creek and Bliss came to the mutual agreement that they needed to go to their friend and help her how they could. When they entered the bedroom, they saw Rosie curled up on her bed, dressed in the pajamas she had worn for three days straight.

"Rosie, you can't keep going on like this." Bliss said, sitting on the edge of Rosie's bed.

"Why not?" Rosie mumbled. "Why can't I just curl up and die here?"

"Because we're already mourning the king. We can't be mourning for you too." Creek said. "That would just be too much."

Rosie sat up slowly. "I never knew he could be so brave, so selfless. How am I supposed to live up to that?"

"What do you mean?" Bliss asked.

"My grandad tried to encourage me, to assure me that I would be a great queen." Rosie said. "But who am I kidding? I could never do what he did. I could never walk to my death like that without fear."

"I still don't understand." Bliss said, struggling to comprehend her friend's words.

"Of course, I would want to protect my kingdom, just like him." Rosie explained, frustration and desperation in her tone. "Of course, I would be willing to die for the sake of my people. But would I truly be able to march to my death like that? Would I really be able to face an executioner like Malcolm without being afraid?" She collapsed back onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow.

Bliss rubbed Rosie's back soothingly. "Rosie, you _are_ brave."

"And do you really think Peppy wasn't afraid?" Creek added. "It takes an immense amount of bravery to do what he did. But to die is not something remarkable. To live is much more remarkable. Living is more difficult and it takes courage to do it. And that's what Peppy wanted by giving himself up for us. He wanted us to live, to be strong, and to never forget who we are. Something like that—walking to your death without fear—is something that's so spur-of-the-moment. It isn't until you're actually faced with that reality do you find out if you can do it."

Rosie moved her face from her pillow and stared at Creek. "Do you think I could do it?"

Creek smiled sadly. "I do. But I don't want you to ever do that. I would lose my reason to live if you died."

"And I don't think I could handle that pain of losing you." Bliss agreed.

Rosie looked back and forth between her two friends. She sat up and accepted their hug. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I miss him."

Creek gave her a tighter squeeze. "It's going to be okay, Rosie."

"Somehow, in some way, it's gonna be okay." Bliss agreed.

* * *

Poppy developed a habit of sitting in the room that had become her father's tomb. She would stare at Peppy's face for hours on end, praying he would open his eyes. She could already imagine the confused look on his face when he realized he was in a glass box. She could practically hear him and her laughing over the silliness of it all.

No matter how much she wished it, however, it never came true.

When Poppy exhausted herself with waiting futilely for her father to awaken, she moved to the library to distract herself with a book she recently started. Poppy doubted she would be able to really focus on her book when her thoughts were consumed with memories of her father. His death hit her harder than her mother's death, seeing how Poppy hadn't even opened her eyes yet when Queen Joy was taken for Trollstice. This time, Poppy was in the room, mere inches away from her father when Malcolm's lightning struck and killed him.

Poppy shook her head as she picked up her book and plopped down on the couch in the library. _Read your book. Focus on the happy things._ Poppy nodded firmly, and she opened her book. To her surprise, something fell out of the tome. Poppy picked up the piece of paper and saw two words scrawled on the front:

 _To Poppy_

It was her father's handwriting.

Poppy set her book aside and slowly unfolded the paper.

 _My beloved baby girl,_

 _By the time you read this, I will be dead at the hands of my brother. I'm so sorry for the pain I must've put you through. I'm writing this to you now because I simply cannot convey my thoughts into spoken words._

 _Your uncle, my older brother Malcolm, is alive. After he was taken at Trollstice, he escaped and ran off into the forest, and he apparently changed his name to Blackwood. I didn't tell you because my relationship with my brother was heavily damaged after he betrayed us. Now I see that I should have told you long ago. You're certainly old enough and mature enough to handle it._

 _I went to him to make a deal: that he would leave the kingdom alone in exchange for taking my life. I know, that's a horrible deal to make and I'm basically walking into my own death. But I did it to protect the kingdom, to protect_ _you_ _. If Malcolm ever succeeded in taking the kingdom, it would be a world of misery and greyness for everyone. I couldn't let that happen._

 _Poppy, as my daughter and Queen of the Trolls, I am asking you to continue to uphold the peace of the land. Continue to lead the trolls with wisdom and kindness, just as you have for years. Please, please forgive me for leaving you like this. But know that I am always with you. Your mother and your grandparents, and all your ancestors watch over you. I'll be watching over you too, always._

 _I love you, and I'm so sorry._

 _Love,_

 _Dad_

New tears trickled down Poppy's cheeks and dripped onto the paper in her hands. She dropped the letter, and she buried her face in her hands as she sobbed. She felt a pair of arms around her, and she turned to press her face against Branch's chest.

"It's okay, Poppy." Branch shushed her soothingly. "Let it out."

"How did you do it, Branch?" Poppy sobbed. "How did you survive with this pain when your grandma was taken?"

Branch sighed. "I didn't, really. Remember? I turned grey, and I stayed that way for twenty years. And that's because I rejected any help from any troll. Your dad was the only family I had left. He was my godfather, after all. But I didn't let him help me. I shut him out." He gently unlatched Poppy from his shoulders so they could look each other in the eye. "Don't shut anyone out, Poppy. Let me help you. Lean on me or my grandma or any of the Snack Pack. Let us help you, and don't do what I did. Okay?"

Poppy nodded mutely, hugging him again as another round of tears poured from her eyes.

* * *

The mournful atmosphere remained for a few weeks after Peppy's death. The blow came just too hard for the trolls to handle. A couple of the little ones fully turned grey. Gristle and Bridget came to lend their support as best they could. Gristle understood what it meant to lose a father, and he and Poppy had a long talk about their respective dads.

Slowly, the trolls' way of life began to resume at a normal pace. No parties were held, but musicians weren't afraid to pull out their instruments and start an impromptu dance. The songs were slow and sometimes sad, but it was a start. Poppy managed to compose herself long enough to tell the little ones stories, even when the trollings all asked for stories about King Peppy. Branch and Symphony still went out flying, though their patrol was a little more relaxed. Creek practiced his martial arts, still dedicated just for the sake of not losing that training.

Rosie forced herself to go out with her friends and enjoy life. Bliss and Cooper were constantly there for support. However, Rosie couldn't bring herself to sing and dance and talk like she used to with her friends. Her hair grew blacker every day. She didn't even bother wearing her hat anymore.

One night, Rosie decided to seek refuge in the royal pod library instead of her bedroom. She pulled down a book of fairytales Peppy often read to her, and she settled on the couch to read. As she read through the tale of the Cinder-Troll, Rosie could almost hear Peppy's voice reading to her.

 _And they lived happily ever after._

 _That's my favorite part, Grandad._

 _Really? My favorite part is everything in-between. The entire journey that brought them to that happily ever after._

Rosie sighed and shut the book. "Some 'happily ever after' I got stuck with."

"Tell me about it."

Rosie gasped and leaped to her feet, dropping her book in the process. She spun around and her eyes widened when she saw Malcolm leaning against a bookshelf, fingering through a tome in his hands.

"I mean, what kind of fairytale am I supposed to be in?" Malcolm sighed, setting his book back on the shelf. "I've been banished by my brother, ostracized by my people. What am I supposed to do with that hand Fate has dealt me?"

"What in the hair are you doing here?" Rosie demanded.

"My deal with my brother says I cannot harm the trolls. Doesn't say I can't come see my favorite grandniece."

"I'm your _only_ grandniece, and I'm not exactly thrilled about being related to you." Rosie snapped.

Malcolm put a hand over his chest as though he were having a heart attack. "Ouch. Oh, oh that hurts, Rosie. How could you say that?"

"Believe me, after everything you've done, it's _easy_." Rosie snarled. "I would never say this to my family, but I hate you, Malcolm. You're vicious and cruel, and you don't care about anyone but yourself."

"Now, Rosie, you should show respect to your elders." Malcolm said as though he were a parent scolding their child. "I expect better from a princess."

Rosie was across the room in two bounds, and she slapped Malcolm across the face as hard as she could. Malcolm's face jerked to the side from the strike, but he did not move beyond that. Rosie seethed with pure rage. "You are a despicable low-life. I'm glad Grandad banished you all those years ago! You don't deserve to be king! The worst part is you don't even care! You've nearly destroyed my family, you killed my grandfather, and you almost killed my brother! Why would I treat you with anything except contempt? I hate you. Trolls do not hate, but I loathe you with every fiber of my being. You're not my family. You're a monster, and a murderer." She smirked. "But you know what? There is a silver lining here. Thanks to the deal Grandad made with you, I can say everything I've always wanted to say to you without fear. I am not afraid of you anymore because you can't hurt me! You can't hurt me anymore!" She gave Malcolm a hard shove, causing him to stumble back a few steps. Rosie stuck her tongue out at him.

Malcolm remined stoic for another moment.

Suddenly, Rosie went through the window across the room and bounced and rolled across the branch outside her home. She hit the trunk of the Troll Tree, moaning in pain from the blast.

"Aw man. I guess he _can_ hurt me." Rosie groaned. She gasped, her eyes wide. "Oh no. He can hurt me."

Malcolm leaped from the window and landed on the branch just a few feet away from Rosie. Either from his own weight hitting the branch or due to his magic, the entire tree branch shook upon impact from his landing. Rosie jumped to her feet, her back pressed against the tree. Malcolm had a dangerous look in his eyes.

"You know, Rosie, you're really starting to annoy me." Malcolm mused, walking up to Rosie.

Rosie forced a nervous laugh. "Hey, I think we both said some things I might regret."

Malcolm still advanced towards her with that murderous gaze. "It's a shame, really. You remind me of myself when I was your age: strong-willed, powerful, and cunning. But then there are the parts of you that remind me of my brother, and I really, _really_ hate reminders." He stopped right in front of Rosie. "I'm not sure I like you very much. You're too much like my brother. Although, you did strike me." He tapped his cheek, the one Rosie slapped. "My brother could never physically harm me. He had his chance to kill me, and he didn't take it. _He_ was the one unworthy of being king."

Rosie's heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her eardrums. She stealthily felt the tree behind her, searching for grooves in the bark. "Well, I guess I'm not that much like Grandad, huh?"

"Oh, yes you are." Malcolm said. "You're both stubborn and foolish. You can't seem to grasp the fact that you're not in control here. I am the one who has magic. I am the rightful heir to the throne. I can easily obliterate you." He summoned a ball of fire in his palm. "What part of that is confusing to you?"

Rosie found what she needed, and she broke off a piece of tree bark. She stomped on Malcolm's foot, distracting him long enough to slash the rough piece of wood across his face. With the sorcerer shouting and growling in pain, Rosie could leap off to another tree branch and take off running.

"Mom!" Rosie screamed. "Daddy! Help me!" She grunted in pain when Reaper's foot smacked her in the back, and she started falling towards the ground. Malcolm stretched out his hair and wrapped it around another tree limb, swinging himself down and catching Rosie. He retracted his hair and landed perfectly on his feet, twisting Rosie's arm and drawing a knife. He thrust the blade to her throat, and she stilled immediately.

"You shouldn't have done that." Malcolm snarled in her ear.

"Malcolm!" Branch shouted. He, Poppy, and the Snack Pack arrived, and Branch looked ready to murder Malcolm. "Let her go."

"I really don't think you're in the proper position to be ordering me around." Malcolm snapped. He noticed the rest of the trolls gathering around, ready to help. "And if anyone tries anything, her blood will spill!"

At once, the trolls backed off, fearful for the life of their princess. Branch didn't dare summon any magic, and Creek lowered his bow. "Haven't you caused enough damage?" Poppy said.

"Hardly." Malcolm said.

"You're not supposed to be able to hurt the trolls!" Poppy snapped. "You made a deal with my father."

"It's not my fault Peppy couldn't perform a proper Magic Blood Oath." Malcolm shrugged. "He botched it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to do this." He gave Rosie's arm a twist, causing her to whimper in pain. "Now, Queen Poppy, only an ignorant fool would wonder what it would take to spare your daughter's life. You know what I want."

"And you have to threaten my daughter to get it?" Branch snapped.

"I am the eldest son of King Wolfrick. I have a right to claim what was always mine." Malcolm declared. "With my brother dead, I am the only true heir to the throne. Your titles as king and queen mean nothing. If you try to stop me from reclaiming what is mine, I will punish you accordingly."

Branch and Poppy shared a look. Branch saw desperation in Poppy's eyes; she just lost he father, she couldn't lose her daughter too. Likewise, Branch would rather die than see his daughter harmed. "Fine." Branch removed his crown and tossed it to Malcolm. The leafy wreath landed at Malcolm's feet. Poppy also removed her crown and dropped it.

Malcolm smirked. "What? Not even going to consult your people? Shouldn't the trolls get a say in who leads them?"

"It would be wrong to put such a decision—to put the life of the princess—in their hands. I would never put them under so much pressure." Poppy said. Her voice came out stronger now. "But if you care to take that gamble, ask them."

"Very well." Malcolm looked out to the trolls. "What say you, Troll Tree Kingdom? Bow to your true king, and show your loyalty." At first, the trolls hesitated, looking to Branch and Poppy as though asking for permission. Malcolm pushed the blade of his knife harder under Rosie's jaw. The teenage princess trembled fearfully. The trolls could see it, and a sort of domino effect occurred as they knelt down. Even the Snack Pack, after getting the reassuring nod from Branch, bowed to Malcolm.

"Satisfied?" Branch demanded.

Malcolm grinned smugly. "Almost, almost. Where is your grandmother, Branch?"

Branch shrugged. "I don't keep track of her."

"That's not funny, Branch." Malcolm droned. "Where is she?"

"My grandma can do whatever she wants. I have no idea where she is right now." Branch said coolly.

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Anyone else want to tell me where she is?"

"Calm down, Malcolm. I'm right here."

Malcolm turned, so did everyone else, as Rosiepuff stepped up. The crowd reluctantly parted for her, and Rosiepuff even pushed Cybil away when she tried to stop her friend. "There you are, my dear." Malcolm sighed. "Now, before you say anything—"

"Yes." Rosiepuff said.

Malcolm paused. "Wait, what?"

"You always said I would make a good queen." Rosiepuff shrugged nonchalantly. "If you truly wish to have me by your side, I accept."

"What?" Rosie asked.

"What?" Branch and Creek gawked.

"What?" Poppy tilted her head in confusion.

"What?" most of the trolls echoed.

Malcolm stared at her, blinking a few times. "I must admit this was easier than I thought."

"Quite honestly, I am tired of running from you. I'm ready to be your queen, as you desire." Rosiepuff held out her hand, palm down like a lady of high society. "What do you say?"

Malcolm looked pleasantly surprised. "Well, that certainly makes this a more enjoyable negotiation." He sheathed his knife and reached out to accept Rosiepuff's hand.

Once close enough, Rosiepuff moved and grabbed Malcolm's wrist in a vice-like grip. _"Magisk Blod Ed."_

Malcolm felt something warm and wet on his wrist, and he realized it was blood from Rosiepuff's palm. "Hey!" He was too late. The magic, glowing thread appeared around his and Rosiepuff's arms. Rosiepuff pulled a pair of sewing scissors from her hair and sliced Malcolm's palm, making him hiss in pain.

"You're not the only one who learned a thing or two from Eclipse." Rosiepuff growled. "Now these are _my_ terms: if you kill any of my family, you will lose your magic." Malcolm's eyes flared with anger, but Rosiepuff wasn't finished. "You will lose your magic, and then I will kill you in the most painful way I can conceive."

Malcolm narrowed his eyes. He reluctantly wrapped his fingers around Rosiepuff's wrist and pressed his bloody palm to her skin. "You will be my queen, my wife, till death do us part, and I will spare your family. All of them: your grandson, his daughter and wife, everyone you love. None of them will die by my hand."

Rosiepuff sighed through her nose. "I accept the terms of this deal."

"I do not like the terms of this deal." Malcolm noted. "Nevertheless, I accept the terms."

The glowing thread left its mark, and the two trolls released each other's wrists. The blood from their palms left a stain. Rosiepuff cleared her throat expectantly, nodding to Rosie. Malcolm let go of the teen, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture. The second she was free, Rosie jumped into the safety of her grandmother's embrace. Rosie whimpered fearfully, still shaking.

Rosiepuff shushed her gently. "It's okay. Everything's okay, Rosie."

Malcolm took a few steps back. He glanced up as a shadow passed over them, and he smirked knowingly.

Suddenly, Reaper came down and practically stomped on Rosiepuff and Rosie. When he flew up again, he grasped Rosie in his talons.

"Rosie!" Poppy gasped. Branch thought about throwing some sort of magic, but he feared he would hit his daughter.

"Malcolm, you said—" Rosiepuff growled as she stood.

"I said your family would not die by my hand." Malcolm said. "Reaper is doing this on his own will."

"Liar." Rosiepuff spat.

Malcolm hummed in an almost bored manner. "Well, there's no telling what will happen after Reaper throws her out. I'm sure she'll be fine. Reaper, don't forget about that other thing to throw out." The dark phoenix flew to the Troll Tree.

"Now what are you doing?" Branch demanded.

"Just throwing out some trash." Malcolm shrugged. The trolls turned back to Reaper as the dark phoenix returned. Reaper still had Rosie in one foot; and in the other set of talons, he held Peppy's coffin.

Poppy suddenly marched up to Malcolm with fury in her eyes. "That is my _father_ , and if you don't put him down right now—"

Malcolm suddenly launched a blast of magic, sending Poppy tumbling back and crashing into Branch. "Maybe I'm not making this clear to you all. I am the king! My word is law! I don't want to see my brother anymore, alive or dead. I say that Princess Rosie is a danger to this kingdom. She has magic, and it is uncontrolled. What if she destroys us all?" He stood up a little straighter, as though to portray a kinglier image. "I hereby banish you, Rosie, for the safety of the Troll Tree Kingdom."

"Malcolm, you can't do this." Rosiepuff protested.

"Whatever happens to her is none of your concern anymore." Malcolm said. "I'm doing this to protect us." Then, Malcolm heard the familiar _twang_ of an arrow being released, and he stomped his foot to cause a column of earth to rise. The stone blocked the arrow a Bergen guard shot at him. "Really, Gristle? You're going to try _that_ again?"

That's when the trolls realized Gristle and his guards had mobilized around the area, ready to fight. Gristle glared at Malcolm. "The peace agreement between the Bergen and Troll Kingdoms was made with Queen Poppy. You are no ally of mine, and not welcome within the boundaries of Bergen Town. You can either leave now or die where you stand."

Malcolm pinched the bridge of his nose. "You pathetic, useless _boy_."

"Guards, fire!" Gristle ordered. "Get down, trolls!"

Before the Bergen guards could move, the ground began to shake. Malcolm's irises glowed. Thorny vines and branches pushed through the cobblestone street around Troll Grove, stretching up towards the sky. Reaper flew higher, heading up over the thorny barrier.

Creek felt someone grab his arm, and he saw Bliss tugging on him. "Come on!" Bliss whispered, pulling Creek after her. The two of them ran to the edge of Troll Grove and leaped onto the thorny branches growing from the ground. They climbed/rode their way up towards Reaper, watching the dark phoenix fly higher. The thorn wall stopped a foot above the top of the Troll Tree, and Reaper began flying over the thorns.

"Ready?" Creek asked, he and Bliss stopping as close to the top of the wall as they could without Reaper seeing them.

"Ready." Bliss nodded. She didn't dare look down.

When Reaper flew over the two trolls, they threw their hair out and grabbed Reaper's feet. The dark phoenix either didn't notice or didn't care, and Creek and Bliss pulled themselves up.

Poppy let out a silent sight of relief when she saw Creek and Bliss disappear. Rosie would be safe now. Branch pulled Poppy into a warm embrace. Their daughter was safe. But they were in deep trouble now.

Malcolm's eyes stopped glowing, and the thorny branches ceased growing. He grinned cruelly. "Welcome to a new era, trolls. The reign of King Malcolm."

* * *

Bliss ended up on the foot holding Rosie while Creek held tight to one of the handles on Peppy's coffin.

"Please tell me you have a plan." Rosie gulped.

"Well, we're mostly making it up along the way." Creek admitted.

"Don't worry, Rosie. We got this!" Bliss assured.

Suddenly, Reaper stopped, hovering right above the river. He let go of his captives.

"Or maybe not!" Creek shouted in terror. The girls screamed and hugged each other. Creek didn't let go of the coffin, thankful the lid was locked. His current path of falling took him towards the rocks instead of the river itself. Creek held tight to the coffin and stretched his hair as far as it would go. His hair wrapped around a tree branch, and Creek swung himself and the coffin past the rocks and deeper into the forest. He heard splashes, indicating Bliss and Rosie landed in the river. Creek retracted his hair, but he couldn't stretch it again before the coffin clipped the ground. Creek was jerked off the coffin and thrown to the ground. The coffin tumbled and rolled, its glass lid shattering.

When Creek finally stopped, he took a moment to regain his breath and then ran to the coffin. To his horror, it was empty. He scanned the area around him, and Creek sighed in immense relief when he saw Peppy's body lying a short distance away. Creek looked over the deceased king, and sighed again when he saw no damage. Only now, Creek had a conundrum on his hands. He couldn't just leave Peppy here. Any hungry animal would snatch him up thinking he was easy prey. But he also had to go find Rosie and Bliss quickly. He did know that Bliss and Rosie were strong swimmers. At the very least, he had to get Peppy's body somewhere safe.

Creek hauled Peppy onto his back, piggyback style, scooped up Peppy's cane, and started walking. "Geez, Peppy. You could've laid off the cupcakes a little." He grumbled a bit, laughing lightly. He looked around, scanning the forest for a safe place to stay. Reaper had taken them farther than he thought. Plus, it was almost too dark to see anything. The light of the moon only helped so much. Creek wouldn't give up. There had to be a cave or a tree or _something._

"Out for a little late-night stroll?"

Creek jumped, looking all around. "Who's there?"

"Whoa, slow your roll, soldier." The voice chuckled. "It's not every day I see one of you colorful folk passing through my neck of the woods."

"Show yourself!" Creek ordered.

"Okay, okay! Geez, take the pill that chills, dude."

Creek saw a collection of white dandelions nearby, and he realized some of the dandelion fuzz moved towards him. A familiar cloud with eyes, a mouth, and arms and legs emerged from the dandelion patch.

"Cloud Guy?" Creek blinked in surprise.

"The one and only." Cloud Guy said. "You must be a friend to Pinky and Blueberry."

It took a minute for Creek to realize that meant Poppy and Branch. "Uh, yes. Poppy and Rosie told me about you. Said you were a friend."

"That I am!" Cloud Guy said proudly. "Looks like you could use some help. What's up with Gramps there?"

"He's just sick." Creek lied. "We need somewhere safe to stay and I need to find a couple other friends I was separated from."

"Right this way, buddy." Cloud Guy gestured for Creek to follow him. The two of them journeyed back towards the river, and Cloud Guy guided Creek into a cave amongst the rocky shore. A few feet into the darkness, Creek saw the flames of a campfire. Once they reached the circle of light from the fire's glow, Creek saw Cloud Guy's home more ornate than he expected: a large section of wall covered in pots and pans, an icebox with food, a neat stack of firewood, and comfy pillows and beanbag chairs scattered all around the area.

"Take your pick of the cushions." Cloud Guy offered, rummaging around in the icebox. "Make your own little nest."

"Thank you." Creek kicked a few pillows over against the wall and gently lay Peppy on them. He grabbed a few more pillows to make the bed more comfortable, simply to keep up the ruse to Cloud Guy that Peppy was alive. Creek stood, readjusting his bow on his shoulder. He didn't have his staff, but at least his had his bow, arrows, and dagger. "I'm going to find my friends. You guard him with your life, understand?" Creek growled at Cloud Guy. "That's not a hyperbole."

"Hey, no problem, dude." Cloud Guy assured. "I'll also whip us up some dinner. How do you feel about pancakes?"

"Lovely." Creek said as he left.

Cloud Guy stared after him. "Hm. Not much of a chatterbox."

* * *

 **A/N: Cloud Guy made an appearance! I couldn't keep him out. Such a unique character.**

 **So, I must give some credit to neomoon585, who gave me some quotes from an anime that ended up working well in this chapter. Those quotes include:  
The talk of violence and kindness from Rosiepuff  
Creek encouraging Rosie to live  
The last half of Peppy's letter to Poppy**

 **Thanks neomoon585! Suggestions don't always work, but those helped a lot with this chapter!**


	28. Malcolm's Reign

**A/N: So, due to recent events, I have had to delete all the songs in the previous chapters of this story. Now, I don't want anyone feeling sad about it. Those are the rules I was not aware of, so I am amending my mistakes. The good news is, there will still be music! I am going to use original poetry in the spots where I want there to be song! I wish I could come up with musical notes and share them, but I'll leave the beat to your interpretation! I'm even going to go back and write in some original music for a couple scenes.**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – The anime is a series called "Ginga Densetsu Weed."**

 **Guest – Draining people emotionally is my specialty. And I can answer a couple of your questions: Reaper grabbed Peppy's coffin on Malcolm's orders, purely out of spite. And it didn't necessarily open, it broke. Because glass-lid coffin + hard ground = smash. :D**

 **Jpbake – My best villain of the fanfics you've read? Yes! Thank you!**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Uh…I wasn't sure how to respond to the second review you left…**

 **Feanwen – Your question will be answered in another chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight – Malcolm's Reign**

Rosie and Bliss hit the water, but they kept tight grips on each other's hands. When they resurfaced, they desperately tried to swim towards the shoreline. The current tossed them about like rag dolls. There was nothing to grab onto. The longer they stayed in the water, the higher the risk they drowned or became bashed against rocks downriver. It was harder to stretch out their hair when it was wet. Finally, Bliss grabbed a limb from a bush hanging over the river, and she hauled herself and Rosie to the rocks. They coughed and shivered, just lying on the rocks to recover from their ordeal.

"Are you…..okay?" Bliss panted.

"Yeah." Rosie shakily sat up. "You?"

"Fine." Bliss sat up too, wringing out her ponytail.

Rosie stared in the direction of Troll Grove and Bergen Town. The gravity of the situation settled on her shoulders. "This is so bad."

Given the horrible recent turn of events, Bliss decided to withhold the sarcasm. "At least we're alive. All we need to do is find Creek and then—"

"And then what?" Rosie demanded. "Wha-what can we possibly do right now? Malcolm has the kingdom. He won."

"No, not yet." Bliss insisted. "Come on. Let's go find Creek."

"Even self-taught martial arts can't help us here!" Rosie snapped. "What are we going to do, Bliss? What can we possibly do?"

Bliss stared at Rosie incredulously. This was the most stubborn troll in the entire village—the one troll who never gave up no matter what happened—and Rosie looked ready to just jump back into the river. "Rosie, we can't give up. That's our family in there. We have to save them. So let's find Creek and think of a plan."

Rosie shrugged. "What's the point?"

Bliss's jaw dropped. "You're not serious."

Rosie turned away from Bliss, moving to a kneeling position and staring at the ground. Bliss could see the broken spirit in the princess, and it made her own heart break. Her hands flew to her mouth when she saw Rosie's hair turn completely black, and her skin and even clothes turned grey. Rosie hardly noticed.

Creek finally found them several minutes later, and was equally horrified to see Rosie lost her colors. But he encouraged her to at least follow him back to Cloud Guy's home. He even reassured Rosie that Peppy was safe. It did little to bring up Rosie's mood. As the three teens headed for Cloud Guy's cave, Rosie trudged a little slower behind her friends. Creek and Bliss would stop and allow Rosie to catch up, but she always fell behind when they kept walking.

The next time Bliss and Creek stopped to let Rosie catch up, they took her hands in their own and encouraged her along. They spoke words of encouragement, assuring Rosie how wonderful she was and how they would figure this out eventually. They arrived at Cloud Guy's home, and Bliss and Creek tried one last time to get Rosie to at least show them a small smile.

Rosie stared at her friends. She slowly shook her head. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Creek and Bliss hugged her comfortingly, guiding her into Cloud Guy's home.

* * *

He had only been on the throne for a week, and already his kingdom looked entirely different from the kingdom his brother ruled.

Malcolm completely took over Troll Grove. His wall of thorns was apparently indestructible, because the Bergens couldn't break through it even with their sharpest tools. Gristle and Bridget wouldn't give up, and they had the support from their kingdom. They just had to free the trolls if they could. The trolls themselves didn't know what else to do except obey Malcolm's orders, lest they run the risk of being executed on the spot. All the trolls turned grey thanks to their situation.

Malcolm even took measures to ensure his rule would not be interfered with by Branch and Poppy. Branch had magic; so Malcolm put Branch under a spell-induced sleep to prevent him from using said magic. Branch was put in a special cell. Symphony, out of loyalty to her partner and master, refused to leave his side. Malcolm almost didn't bother putting chains on the phoenix. Thanks to his deal with Rosiepuff, Malcolm couldn't kill baby Ash. But he did send Poppy, Ash, and the Snack Pack to a new dungeon Malcolm made, which rested right next to the Troll Tree. He even created a castle-like treehouse in the Troll Tree, destroying many trolls' pods in the process.

It seemed one of Malcolm's favorite things to do was stroll about his kingdom and watch the trolls bow to him, as he instructed them to do any time he passed them. His clothing he magically changed to be more decorated and regal. Even his colors started to come back. He decided to forego the leafy crown his brother and Branch wore, and instead fashioned himself a crown of grey metal and obsidian. He even carried a tall scepter like a walking stick: black, made of wood, with a glass orb on the top that glowed with an orange light. Malcolm insisted his queen join him on these strolls, despite how much Rosiepuff detested it. She, too, now had grey skin and white-grey hair. At Malcolm's insistence (aka, by his orders), Rosiepuff dressed in elegant black gowns and wore an obsidian tiara adorned with metal wire holding emerald gems.

Quite against her will, Rosiepuff had her arm gently linked with Malcolm's elbow as they ambled through the kingdom. Malcolm grinned like a boy during the holidays, obviously enjoying this much more than his queen.

"Isn't this nice?" Malcolm sighed contently. "Just a calm, casual walk through our beloved kingdom."

"Yes. Very nice." Came Rosiepuff's monotone reply. She glanced towards the nearby trolls as they bowed to their monarchs, and it made her sick. Even Wolfrick did not command such reverence. Peppy, Poppy, and even Branch earned it, and hardly expected it.

Malcolm suddenly yelped as an acorn collided with his back. He spun around and glared at the small group of trolls he just passed. "Who threw that?!"

Tulip ducked behind her mother. "I'm sorry!"

Malcolm marched towards her. "Why you little—"

"She didn't mean it!" Tulip's mother assured desperately. "She was throwing it to a friend, and her aim was off!"

"You expect me to believe that?!" Malcolm raised his scepter to strike the troll.

Rosiepuff quickly grabbed his wrist. "Malcolm…dearest…." She nearly gagged upon saying that last word. "Let me take care of it. No need to fret and fuss over such a trivial matter. I know how to deal with troublesome children, as you know."

Malcolm relaxed. "Yes, I do. Very well, my love, I will leave this to you. I will see you at the castle."

Rosiepuff curtsied to Malcolm as the king turned and left, his cape billowing behind him. Once he was far enough away, Rosiepuff knelt down in front of Tulip, who still hid behind her mother. "The next time you do that, Tulip….."

"I'm sorry! I'm really really really really really really sorry!" Tulip whimpered.

Rosiepuff lowered her voice to a whisper. "Aim a little higher, and you'll hit his head." Tulip gasped softly when she realized she wasn't being punished. Rosiepuff grinned. "Besides, it's hard to miss anyway." Tulip giggled, and Rosiepuff shushed her quickly so Malcolm wouldn't hear.

"I truly am sorry." Tulip's mother said as Rosiepuff stood. "I have told her that we need to stay out of trouble."

"That would be ideal, yes." Rosiepuff nodded. "If it helps, this is normally the time Malcolm and I take our stroll, so it may be best for you to stay indoors during that time."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Tulip's mother curtsied.

"Don't call me that." Rosiepuff half-snapped. "I'm not a queen."

"You are now." One of the nearby trolls piped up. "Regardless of how it happened, you're the queen."

"And you're the only hope we have left." Another troll added. "So, even though you're not happy about it, would you at least pretend? Please?"

Rosiepuff stared at the trolls before her. They all stared back with pleading eyes, begging her to be the hope they so desperately needed. She sighed, but finally nodded. The trolls seemed much more relieved as they left. Rosiepuff slowly made her way towards the Troll Tree, only to veer off-course and go to the dungeon instead. The sturdy structure was made from the earth, and had cells with thick, wooden barred doors. There were only two large cells: one to hold Branch and Symphony and the other to hold Poppy, Ash, and the Snack Pack.

When the occupants of the latter cell realized they had company, Cooper immediately went to Poppy's side in case it was Malcolm. But everyone relaxed and even smiled when they saw Rosiepuff instead.

"How are you all doing?" Rosiepuff asked.

"We could be better." Biggie shrugged.

"How are you doing?" Suki asked Rosiepuff.

"Well, I'm the queen to a power-hungry madman, so I guess I could be better too." Rosiepuff shrugged. She looked to Poppy. "How's the baby?"

"Miserable, usually." Poppy said, rocking a sleeping Ash in her arms. "But we're trying to make the best of it."

"I would take him to the castle, but I fear what Malcolm may do to him, regardless of our deal." Rosiepuff said.

"No, I understand." Poppy assured. "I don't want Ash anywhere near him."

"Is there anything I can get for you? Something I can sneak in here?" Rosiepuff asked.

"I don't want to take the risk Malcolm hurts you." Poppy said. She already had Rosiepuff's knit coat laying across her legs like a blanket to keep herself and her son warm.

"Malcolm won't hurt me." Rosiepuff assured. "Not physically, at least. He has never laid a hand on me, and he never will."

"Just take care of yourself." Cooper said in an almost pleading tone.

Rosiepuff nodded with a smile. She glanced to the neighboring dungeon cell, and that smile faded. She moved to the bars of that cell and stared at the still form of her grandson. Branch was once more ashen-skinned and black-haired. Though only asleep, Rosiepuff feared Malcolm would never lift the curse. Branch could very well stay asleep as long as Malcolm reigned as king. Symphony was disconsolate, and nothing could move her from Branch's side.

The longer Rosiepuff stared, the more her heart broke. "So is this what you looked like?" she whispered. "After we were separated?" She stared at the ground. "I know all the stories, Branch. I know every single thing that changed about you when you turned grey. Neither one of us is at fault for Malcolm taking me. But when I see you now, and I hear all these stories of the things you've done, I can't help but wonder what might've happened if that day never came. If I had only been there for you, escaped Malcolm and returned home." She fought back her tears. "You were all I had, Branch. My last little light, my last piece of family. I didn't want to lose you again. I don't…I don't want to be alone….not again…"

Quickly wiping her eyes dry, Rosiepuff put on a mask of regality and calm composure, and she left the dungeon.

* * *

That evening, Rosiepuff sat at the vanity in her room and combed her hair, preparing for bed. She wore her simple cotton nightgown, which contrasted greatly against the lavish room Malcolm gave her. The room had everything from a canopy bed with silk sheets to a fireplace with an overelaborate mantle. Rosiepuff cared for none of it. Not only because she was a simple troll, but because she refused to be swayed by Malcolm's extravagant gifts.

A knock came at the door and made Rosiepuff pause in her combing. "You did not come to dinner, darling." Malcolm's voice called from the other side of the door. "Are you all right?"

Rosiepuff sat up straighter and continued combing her hair. "Quite well. I am not hungry."

"Going on a hunger strike will not sway my decision." Malcolm said. "I am not allowing former-Queen Poppy, her son, or her friends free."

"This is not a hunger strike." Rosiepuff assured, setting her comb down. "I simply do not have a desire nor need to eat right now." _Especially not in your company._

Malcolm didn't speak for a moment. "May I come in?"

"Will you not just enter regardless of my response?" Rosiepuff replied.

"Yes, but I figured I should make sure you are presentable." Malcolm said. "Wouldn't want to be in the same mishap my brother fell into when you first met him."

Rosiepuff sighed. "I am presentable. If you wish to enter, do so."

Malcolm secretly admired Rosiepuff's queenly attitude, which came seemingly out of nowhere given her humble upbringing. He entered the room and his eyes fell upon his lovely queen. "What is that you're wearing?"

"It's called a nightgown." Rosiepuff said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but it's so simple. So plain." Malcolm crossed the room and opened the closet, which overflowed with gorgeous gowns and pretty nightdresses. Malcolm pulled down a midnight blue nightgown decorated with silver swirls. "Wouldn't you prefer something nicer? This one is made of fine silk."

"Too cold." Rosiepuff shrugged.

Malcolm put the gown back in the closet. "Very well. But perhaps we can make your current dress as lovely as the one who wears it?" He waved a hand, and elegant red rose designs appeared on Rosiepuff's nightgown.

Rosiepuff rolled her eyes. "I detest your constant need to beautify and make elegant what is already simple and pretty."

"Tell me no other suitor or mate of yours would've done the same." Malcolm scoffed, coming to stand behind Rosiepuff. "Oaken? Peppy? Do you really think they wouldn't do this same thing?"

"Oaken was fond of giving gifts. They were gifts full of love for me, and often they were the simplest, littlest tokens." Rosiepuff said. "Your gifts are feeble attempts to turn my contempt for you into a true love that will never be."

Malcolm chuckled, placing his hands on her shoulders. "My queen, you are kind of heart but sharp of tongue."

"Normally, I am able to hold that tongue." Rosiepuff shrugged Malcolm's hands off her shoulders as she stood. She strode over to the window. "You seem to bring out the hatred in me."

"Trolls do not hate."

"We are mortal and with emotions. That means we understand hate and, on rare occasions, we do feel it."

"Such wisdom! Such poetry! Why my brother never proposed to you, I'll never know."

Rosiepuff turned to stare at Malcolm in confusion. "When was he going to propose?"

Malcolm stared at her. "Oh…oh, you didn't know? You didn't know?" He chuckled, as though the thought was a joke to him. "That's rich. I should've known. He always was a coward."

Desiring answers, Rosiepuff decided to hold back her anger at the insult. "When was he going to propose? He never mentioned marriage before. Never gave me any sign he was even considering it."

"Oh, he was more than considering it." Malcolm assured. "He had it all planned out. In fact, that All Hallows' Eve night, when Oaken proposed to you, Peppy was planning to tell you everything: his feelings for you, his desire to marry you, all of it."

"Then why didn't he?" Rosiepuff demanded, eyeing Malcolm suspiciously.

"He hesitated because of our father." Malcolm explained. "Peppy may have loved you, but my father did not approve of you. I'm sure it wasn't because you did not have queenly qualities; in fact, you would have been a wonderful queen. But during our imprisonment by the Bergens, you constantly spoke of rebellion and escaping the Troll Tree. You wanted us to leave. But Father didn't like that. He didn't want the trolls to leave their home, our ancestral home which belonged solely to us."

"It was just a tree." Rosiepuff protested. "We could've easily found a new home, and that's exactly what Peppy did following your father's death."

"Regardless, my father did not like such talk. So, he desperately tried to find a new suitor for Peppy." Malcolm continued. "Now, my brother also had an eye on Joy. She was kind and beautiful and smart. She accepted our imprisonment, and even tried to look on the bright side of it. She was the perfect, happy troll, and my father saw her attitude as the one thing that would keep the trolls in the tree. Father saw Joy as a more favorable mate for Peppy, and even told him so outright. What's more, Father threatened to disown Peppy if he married you." Malcolm stepped closer to Rosiepuff, chuckling all the way. "It's just so funny. How much do you think he really loved you if he wasn't willing to give up the throne for you?"

Rosiepuff turned away from him, glaring out the window. "I refuse to believe Peppy didn't propose to me because he didn't love me or because he wanted the throne more. If anything, he was trying to make sure you wouldn't have sole control over the kingdom. Based on what's happened in the last week, I'd say he had the right idea."

Malcolm sighed. "As I said before: kind of heart, sharp of tongue. Why do you direct such harsh words to me? Would you say those things if you knew _I_ was planning to propose?"

"You were always proposing, always wooing." Rosiepuff scoffed. "You never took 'no' for an answer, never satisfied with just being my friend. Why should I show any kindness to you?"

"Because no one loves you like I do." Malcolm said. "Because no one's love for you was ever as true as mine."

Rosiepuff scoffed and shook her head. "You are so delusional. The worst part is, I don't think you even realize—mmph!"

Rosiepuff had turned around to face Malcolm, only to realize he was now right behind her. Once she had turned around, Malcolm caught her by surprise and planted his lips onto hers. He put a hand to the back of her head and the other to her waist, despite her muffled protests. When Rosiepuff finally managed to shove him off her, she punched him in the nose as hard as she could. Malcolm shouted in pain, turning away from her and holding his broken and bloody nose. Rosiepuff wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and spit a few times. Malcolm's kiss was rough and hard; and, quite frankly, his breath reeked of garlic from his dinner.

Rosiepuff marched up to Malcolm. " _Never_ do that again you slimy little—"

This time, Malcolm interrupted Rosiepuff by grabbing her by the throat. He shoved her against the wall, his eyes ablaze with fury. "Why can you not understand such a simple concept?!" Malcolm shouted. "I thought you had learned this years ago! I am not afraid to punish you for defying me! I am in complete control here, and I will not stand for disobedience, even from _you!_ If you ever defy me again, I will not hesitate to strike you. So help me, gods, I will make sure every day of the rest of your life is full of pain and misery!"

By then, Rosiepuff began to fade, and her attempts to escape grew weaker and weaker by the second. Malcolm held her throat so tightly that he was on the verge of breaking her neck. Holding her for only another moment, Malcolm uncurled his fingers and let Rosiepuff drop to the floor. She inhaled deeply and coughed, holding her abused throat.

Malcolm took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He sighed heavily. "Now, see what you've done? You made me mad, darling, and you know I can lose my temper when angered enough." He reached out to touch Rosiepuff's face, to guide her eyes back to his.

"Don't touch me." Rosiepuff whispered, her tone harsh and hurting.

Malcolm hesitated, sighed again, and patted Rosiepuff's head. Though a gentle touch, it still made Rosiepuff flinch. "Stay in your room, then, if you will not come down to dinner." Malcolm stood and exited the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Only once she was sure he was gone did Rosiepuff let out her fearful sob. This was the first time Malcolm _ever_ harmed her physically, the first time he ever threatened her life. He always claimed he would never hurt her like this. Over the years, Rosiepuff came to believe that single true statement. But everyone has their breaking points, she supposed, and she must've pushed Malcolm to his limit. Now, for the first time in her life, Rosiepuff feared Malcolm. In all her years of strength, she never felt so small, and she wished for someone to be there to support her.

Especially after her parents died, Rosiepuff felt she always had to put on this air of strength. She rarely let her guard down except around her closest friends. Oaken found a way to break through that guard, and he made her feel like she didn't have to act brave when she was actually scared. Oddly enough, Peppy even had that effect on her. He never let her stay sad for very long.

 _You promised me that you'd always be there  
In the smallest ways, you showed that you cared  
You're gone now, I just don't know what to do  
How can I live my life without you?_

 _I'll try to be strong  
I'll try to move on  
But without you  
I'm a broken song  
I'd give anything to have you back  
But I can't  
And I know  
You can't see me cry_

Shaking, Rosiepuff rose to her feet. She wobbled as she walked, and ended up collapsing on the chair in front of her vanity. She took slow, deep breaths, desperately willing her heart to stop pounding.

Once upon a time, Malcolm was a true friend. He listened to Rosiepuff, and cared about her. She trusted him the same way she trusted Peppy, Oaken, or even Eclipse and Cybil. Malcolm's betrayal of her trust cut deeper than anything else, and it made Rosiepuff furious.

 _You promised me that I'd never feel pain  
Who you are and who you were, they're just not the same  
I trusted you, told you my secrets  
All I feel now is regret_

 _I'll try to be strong  
I'll try to move on  
But when I'm with you  
It just feels so wrong  
I'd give anything to be free  
But I can't  
But I swear  
You won't see me cry_

He forced her to be his queen, cut her off from her family, killed two trolls who loved her dearly, and yet it seemed Malcolm would never run out of ways to hurt her. Rosiepuff sat her vanity, staring at all the pretty things he had given her, but they were empty gestures. The more she thought about the horrible things Malcolm did to her, the angrier she became.

 _These mean nothing  
This love means nothing  
You mean nothing  
to me_

Rosiepuff stood and, in anger, suddenly slammed her fists into the mirror of her vanity. The glass shattered, littering the desk with pieces of mirror. Her reflection was distorted, broken, as though it mirrored her inner self rather than her outer appearance. She looked down to her tiara, and she picked it up. What did this thing really signify? Was it really the mark of a queen, a beacon of hope for the trolls? Or was it really just another chain, binding her to Malcolm for the rest of her life?

In defiance, Rosiepuff threw the crown like a frisbee. The tiara hit the wall and splintered to pieces. She would never stop defying him. Tears fell from her eyes; tears Malcolm would never see. She would never, _ever_ show weakness to him, lest he gain full control over her.

 _I swear I'll be strong  
I'm gonna move on  
You aren't the one for me  
I knew it all along  
I'd give anything to have him back  
But not you  
And I swear  
You won't see me cry_

Never. Until the day she dies, she will keep fighting.

 _You'll never see me cry_

* * *

 **A/N: Despite the angst, I hope you enjoyed this chapter at least a little bit.** _ **Kung Fu Troll**_ **will be updated soon!**

 **BTW, Rosiepuff's little song there was my original poetry! Hope you liked it! Totally written on the fly, so I don't know how well it actually turned out.**


	29. Oaken's Wisdom

**A/N: Okay, time for a nice, happy chapter for you guys. I think you've suffered enough. :D Huh, I say that a lot, don't I? Do I torture you guys with some of these angsty chapters? LOL**

 **Glad you liked my poetry! Hope to do more of it in the future.**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – Oh, I keep watching that Trolls Holiday sneak peek on repeat. I'm dying for an actual trailer.**

 **Silver G – Yeah, I wanted a name that would hint at his terrible nature, and Malcolm just popped in my head. It's such a great villain name.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine – Oaken's Wisdom**

The only upsides to living with Cloud Guy for a week were his good food and comfy pillows that made nice beds.

Rosie didn't do a thing since turning grey. She would eat and sleep, but the rest of her time she spent sitting next to Peppy's body and just staring at him. Creek and Bliss constantly tried to get her to move or speak, to encourage her to help them think of a plan. It was useless. Cloud Guy kept their spirits up, although Bliss doubted Cloud Guy really understood what was going on even after Creek explained it to him.

Bliss woke up one morning and discovered with a surprise that Rosie stood at the entrance to the cave. She joined her friend and followed her gaze into the distance. No doubt Rosie stared in the direction of home.

Bliss sighed. "Rosie, I'm not going to force you to be brave and strong just for our sake. All I'm saying is you are the reason I learned to never give up. If you're going to lose hope, fine. Find your own path back to who you're supposed to be. Creek and I are going to try and take back our home, no matter what gets in our way." She turned and went back into the cave, leaving Rosie alone.

Creek put his hand to Peppy's forehead, pretending to check his temperature. Creek still didn't know if he trusted Cloud Guy enough to tell him the truth. Oddly enough, Peppy's skin still felt warm as opposed to the chill a corpse would normally have. Creek went back to the fire to help Cloud Guy make breakfast, and Bliss joined them.

"Still standing out there?" Creek guessed.

Bliss nodded. "We may be on our own for this one."

"That's really not good." Creek sighed.

"Why not?" Cloud Guy shrugged. "What's so bad about this Malcolm guy?"

"Were you not listening before?" Bliss snapped. "He's a powerful sorcerer and a madman. All I can do is sew and steal and Creek's weapons and martial arts won't help us here."

"I hate to say this, but we need to fight fire with fire." Creek said. "We need Rosie to activate that magic she used when Malcolm captured you two."

"But she doesn't know how to control it, or even bring it out." Bliss said. "She's no match against Malcolm, who has practiced magic for years."

Creek sighed. "Then what do we do? Stay here for the rest of our lives?"

"You're always welcome!" Cloud Guy said cheerily. "We'll sing and dance and hug and high-five and fist-bump and cook and sleep and all that jazz. It'll be fun!"

Creek and Bliss gave Cloud Guy deadpan stares. He cleared his throat and stood, hurrying to his icebox for a drink. Bliss looked past Creek to Peppy's body. "Hey, Creek? How long does it take for a body to rot?"

Creek stared at her. "Do you have any idea how disrespectful that is?" He hissed.

"It's a valid question!" Bliss hissed back. "We can't keep this up forever. Cloud Guy will eventually figure out that King Peppy isn't really sick."

"If we're going to do it, we'll do it properly." Creek insisted. "We'll give him a proper troll funeral, and Rosie will burn him. It's her right and hers alone."

"That's what I'm saying. I think we need to help her move on, and maybe she'll be more encouraged to help us think of a plan." Bliss said. "We need to help her let go."

Creek sighed through his nose. "Maybe you're right. I just don't know how we're going to do it."

* * *

Rosie stood at the mouth of the cave for only a few more minutes. Then, she started walking. She approached the banks of the river and knelt down on one of the flat rocks. Rosie stared at her reflection. A sad-eyed, grey-skinned troll with black hair stared back. She closed her eyes.

"Somebody help me." Rosie whispered. "Either of my grandads, any of my ancestors. Somebody, please, tell me what I'm supposed to do."

Rosie stayed in that position for what felt like a hundred years. Then…

"Chin up, kiddo. No need to be so down."

Rosie gasped and spun around. Standing just a few feet behind her was a troll who looked like an older version of her father, but with facial hair. He wore dark brown trousers and a bird talon necklace. A soft blue aura surrounded his body. "Oaken?" Rosie breathed.

"Hey there, Rosie darling." Oaken waved with a jolly smile. "Nice to finally meet you."

Rosie ran forward and leaped into her great-grandfather's warm embrace. Even as a ghost, his hold felt strong and secure. Rosie cried into his chest, letting out all her fear and hopelessness while Oaken just held her and spoke soft words of comfort.

"It's all gone wrong. I've lost everything." Rosie hiccupped a little.

"You poor thing." Oaken sighed. "I'm glad I was able to come."

Rosie sniffled as she pulled away. "How did you get here? How did you know I needed you?"

"The locket." Oaken nodded to the rose-shaped locket Rosie wore. "I was a troll Malcolm received from trading with Chef. Malcolm didn't like that I had married someone he loved, and he made me pay dearly for it. When he was done torturing me, he locked my spirit away in that locket, which he had stolen from my wife years ago. Luckily, Creek found the locket after Malcolm abandoned it, and I was returned to Rosiepuff. As long as the locket was with her, I could keep an eye on her and my family back home. I've seen the amazing things you've done, Rosie, so I know there's still a chance for you to save everyone."

"What chance do I have?" Rosie asked. "I'm just a kid."

"Yes, and I'm sorry that so much pressure has been put onto you." Oaken said. "You shouldn't have to deal with such grown-up things yet. But I'm afraid you're our only hope. You're the princess, and the rightful ruler of the Troll Tree Kingdom. You're going to have to go back and face Malcolm sooner or later."

"But what if I fail?" Rosie gulped. "It's not like I've ever faced him alone before. I always had someone to save me. What chance do I have against him? He has magic."

"So do you, if I'm not mistaken." Oaken pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but I don't know how to control it." Rosie protested. "I don't even know how to bring it out or where it came from."

"Oh, the 'where it came from' is easy enough." Oaken assured. "It came from your father."

Rosie blinked in surprise. "Really? I mean, I know he unlocked his own magic before, but why is my magic showing up now instead of earlier?"

"Because your magic was locked away too." Oaken said. "You drank some of the potion your father took to unlock his magic, and so yours came forth as well."

"It only came last time because I was wishing for something to happen, and I started singing and then _bam!_ It just happened." Rosie remembered that day vividly.

"Exactly." Oaken said. "You haven't learned to harness your powers yet, and so they are released when you sing, when you musically will something to happen. It's because music is so deeply ingrained in a troll's very being. Music is part of who we are. You inherited your magic by blood, but you are strongest when you sing."

Rosie stared at her hands, remembering the ball of fire and sparks she created. That moment seemed like years ago. "So how do I will my magic to do what I want?"

"How do you decide what song to sing at any given moment?" Oaken asked rhetorically. "What you feel in the moment leads you to the song and will power your magic."

"That's a lot to handle." Rosie sighed.

"And yet, like every challenge, you handle it in stride." Oaken assured. "You have more bravery and strength than you think. You just have to look inside and feel it for yourself. And always remember that your family is by your side. Your ancestors watch over you, as I have since the day you were born. We're ready to stand with you, so you can fight for the ones you love. Don't give up, Rosie. We're counting on you, and we love you."

Rosie allowed the weight of that responsibility settle on her shoulders. It didn't feel nearly as heavy as she thought. Her mind sifted through the memories she had with the people she loved: singing with her parents, hanging out with her friends, dancing with her true love, telling stories with her grandad, playing music with her grandmother, and so much more. The more memories she relived, the wider Rosie's smile became.

"There's that beautiful smile I love to see." Oaken chuckled. "See? It's gonna be okay."

Rosie hugged the ghost. "Thank you, Grandad Oaken."

Oaken hugged her tight. "I'm always with you. Now go kick Malcolm's tail for me."

The ghost faded away, and Rosie's locket began to glow. In fact, that glow spread across her entire body and brought her colors back. Her dress was once more blue, and her vest forest green. Her skin turned lavender, and her hair became a vibrant jade green. Rosie giggled with glee, twirling about on the rock. She checked her reflection and saw a pink iris and a blue iris in her eyes. However, she also noticed she still had that streak of black in her hair. Rosie pulled a couple bobby pins from her hair and pinched them between her lips. She combed the black hairs out of her mane and began braiding them across her head. She pinned the braid into place and checked her reflection again. Now, she had a black and green-streaked braid elegantly stretched across her head, like her mother's headband. Rosie smiled confidently and nodded in satisfaction. She took out a length of ribbon from her hair and tied her hair into a ponytail. She knotted the ribbon into a bow to finish off the new look.

"Rosie!"

The princess stood and turned as her friends approached, both of them wearing pleasantly surprised looks on their faces. "Your colors…" Bliss breathed.

"Had a little chat with my great-grandad. Now I feel much better!" Rosie said.

"Clearly." Creek laughed.

"I'm sorry for how I've been acting." Rosie said. "You guys were right. We can't give up. Not now, not ever."

"That's the Rosie we know." Bliss said. "And it's not your fault. You lost your way, but it looks like you found it again."

"You know we'll be right there to help." Creek said. "As long as I live, I will always stand with you."

"Same for me." Bliss agreed.

"Thanks, guys." Rosie said. "I don't know what we're going to do, but—" Something sparked in Rosie's head. "Creek, what did you say?"

"We'll be right there to help?" Creek repeated questioningly.

"No, after that."

"As long as I live, I will always stand with you."

Rosie stared at the ground, her thoughts going a mile a minute. "As long as you live…"

 _As long as you live, I can do what I please to the trolls._

"Holy hair." Rosie gasped. "I figured it out! I figured it out!" She darted past her confused friends.

"Wait, figured what out?" Bliss asked as she and Creek followed Rosie.

"My grandad's alive!" Rosie declared.

" _WHAT?!"_ Creek and Bliss exclaimed.

Creek threw his hair forward and grabbed Rosie to stop her from running. Rosie ran in place for a moment before she realized Creek's hair wrapped around her waist and prevented her from going anywhere. Creek pulled her back and spun her around. "Rosie, back up. What are you talking about?"

"King Peppy! My grandad! He's still alive!" Rosie squealed. "That's why Malcolm could hurt me! That's why he could take over the kingdom! The deal he made with Grandad was that he couldn't hurt the trolls after he killed Grandad. But if Malcolm could still hurt me and the other trolls, then that means Grandad must not really be dead!"

"But we saw him die!" Bliss protested.

"You saw him, I saw him, about a dozen trolls saw King Peppy killed." Creek said. "What makes you think he's still alive?"

"That has to be why Malcolm could take over." Rosie insisted. "Grandad did the Magic Blood Oath correctly. I know he did."

"I will admit that it looked like he did it correctly. But then why do we have a corpse with us?" Bliss demanded.

"So I could bring him back, I guess." Rosie turned and headed back up to Cloud Guy's cave. Creek and Bliss hurried after her.

"Let's say you're right, Rosie." Creek said as they approached Peppy's body. "How are you going to bring him back?"

Rosie gently moved Peppy so that he leaned against the wall. "Well, I guess that's what magic is for. I just have to bring it out. Get it to do what I want."

"Have you figured it out?" Bliss asked hopefully.

"I think so." Rosie shut her eyes and focused. "I feel it…"

Bliss and Creek took a few steps back to let Rosie work. Cloud Guy came to stand next to them to watch. Rosie kept her eyes shut, focusing on all her fondest memories of her grandfather and everything she remembered about him: his kind heart, his soft yet strong voice, and his eyes which always shined youthfully despite his age.

 _I want him back._ Rosie wished with all her heart. _I'm going to bring him back._ She started to sing, using the lullaby her grandfather sang to her so many times before.

After a moment, Rosie began to glow, to the surprise of her friends. The even greater surprise was seeing Peppy's body glow too. Miles away, the orange light in Malcolm's scepter went out without the sorcerer noticing.

Rosie paused in her singing, and she opened her eyes. She stared at Peppy hopefully, praying her magic worked. She could feel it flowing through her. Rosie silently begged for the magic to work. She continued to sing, and her voice became stronger when a familiar baritone accompanied her. Bliss gasped happily and Creek's jaw dropped when Peppy opened his eyes and smiled lovingly at his granddaughter.

When they finished singing, Rosie dived into Peppy's arms. "I knew you'd figure it out." Peppy sighed. "I just knew it." Rosie couldn't answer, happy tears in her eyes.

Creek still hadn't closed his mouth. "Wait, you're alive?"

Peppy glared, though not angry at Creek. "I was never dead in the first place!"

"But we saw you!" Bliss said. "Malcolm killed you!"

"No, he didn't." Peppy said. "Whatever Malcolm hit me with, it didn't kill me. It separated my spirit from my body. Malcolm locked me away and let everyone believe I was dead." He slammed his fist into the ground and growled in frustration. "I should've known he would do something sneaky like that. That snake!"

"I'll say." Rosie agreed. "Grandad, Malcolm took over the kingdom."

"I know." Peppy sighed heavily.

"Wait, what's Malcolm going to do when he realizes you're back?" Bliss wondered. "He must have some way of keeping an eye on you, and surely he would've kept the thing that held your spirit close."

"And based on those marks on your arm, the Magic Blood Oath can still be used." Creek said. "Except Malcolm won't risk losing control of the kingdom. He would rather keep you alive and still be able to rule the trolls through fear."

"We don't have to worry about that, guys." Rosie assured. "I have a plan."

"You do?" Bliss asked with surprise.

"Is it a good plan?" Creek asked.

"Well, maybe not." Rosie admitted. "But it might be our only shot."

The trolls exchanged looks.

"I say let's do it!" Cloud Guy cheered, only for the trolls to stare at him strangely.

* * *

Rosiepuff set out her usual cream dress and magenta shawl to put on the next morning. She refused to wear any more of those pretty gowns Malcolm had for her. After exhausting herself during her song, Rosiepuff lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling. She was thankful Malcolm gave her her own room instead of forcing her to share a bed with him. As she stared into space, her thoughts traveled back to everyone she had lost over the years: her son, her husband, her daughter-in-law, her best friend, and now another troll she truly loved. Rosiepuff expected so many others to outlive her. Especially now, it seemed she was cursed to live a life without true peace and happiness.

 _How many more must we lose to Malcolm?_ She wondered. _How many sacrifices must be made for the sake of peace?_

Rosiepuff turned on her side and closed her eyes, hoping some sleep might help her.

" _Rosiepuff…"_

* * *

 _When Rosiepuff opened her eyes, she wasn't in her bed. She stood below the Troll Tree in the middle of the night. Based on the decorations, it looked like the trolls celebrated All Hallows' Eve._

 _Suddenly, someone ran past Rosiepuff. "Oaken?" She murmured in surprise. She followed the blue troll towards a collection of mushrooms near the Troll Tree. As Rosiepuff approached the mushrooms, she noticed another figure already there: her younger self._

 _The younger Rosiepuff looked up as Oaken approached, and she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Go away."_

 _Oaken didn't answer, stepping closer to her._

" _I said go away!" Rosiepuff still held her dislocated shoulder. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I'm still sore from that fall."_

 _Oaken stopped in front of her, eyed her hurt shoulder, and suddenly jammed the dislocated limb back into place._

 _Rosiepuff grinded her teeth together, biting back a scream of pain. She started punching and hitting Oaken's chest. "You little son of a rat! I'll throttle you for that!"_

 _Oaken still hadn't spoken the entire time. He grabbed Rosiepuff's fists to stop her from punching him, and he wrapped an arm around her waist and back to pull her against his chest. She struggled the entire time, still growling out insults and death threats. Then, in the middle of her rant, Oaken put a hand to the back of her head and pushed her into a kiss. Rosiepuff froze. Oaken's grip on her was strong and firm, but his kiss was soft and tender. She tentatively kissed back, and then allowed herself to be immersed in the deep kiss. When they broke apart, they breathed a little heavily. Oaken lovingly gazed into her eyes, brushing a few stray hairs from her face._

 _Rosiepuff leaned closer to Oaken, and he held her close. "For as long as I've known you, Rosiepuff, you've always had this wall around her heart. You're always showing people how strong you are. Believe me, I know how strong you are. You don't need some hero in shining armor to come save you. I don't want to be your prince charming. I just want to be yours. I don't want to leave you alone. I won't ever leave you alone because I'm going to keep fighting to break through that wall you put around yourself. Someday, I want to break through that wall and see your beautiful heart." He finally released Rosiepuff, and then took both of her hands in his own. "Rosiepuff, if you're willing to put up with a fool who is hopelessly in love with you, would you please marry me?"_

 _Rosiepuff had tears in her eyes now. She couldn't speak, so she nodded to answer Oaken's question. She pulled him in for another kiss._

" _Rosiepuff…"_

 _The scene faded away, and Rosiepuff spun around. She knew that voice all too well. But it had to be her dream. She wasn't actually hearing him. Then, it began to rain. Rosiepuff felt nothing. It was like the rain fell everywhere except onto her. When the water droplets made contact with the ground, it was like they washed away paint to reveal a new picture. The dark surroundings became a golden meadow dotted with flowers. The sun shined in a cloudless sky. The land was idyllic, peaceful, and comforting despite being empty. Rosiepuff did a full rotation, taking in every detail around her._

" _What is this?" she murmured to herself. "What….."_

" _Rose, my love."_

 _Her eyes widened at the gentle voice, almost like a warm breeze, so soft and unexpected. The voice was like music to her ears. There was no doubt to whom it belonged. "Oaken?" She finally asked aloud, almost not daring to believe her late husband was there. "Is that you?" She felt a soft touch on her shoulder, and she didn't need to turn around to know who was there. Happy tears came to her eyes. "Oaken." She breathed, pure joy filling her heart._

" _I'm right here, my love." His voice was just as she remembered: tender, kind, and strong. "I have always been here."_

 _Rosiepuff was afraid to turn around, in case he disappeared. Slowly, she did a 180, and she saw her husband exactly the way he was just before he was taken. Afraid he might disappear, her shaky hand came up and cupped his cheek in her palm. Oaken placed his hand over hers, and he kissed her forehead. Love and happiness swelled up in her heart, and she wrapped her arms around him. He held her close, his embrace firm as though he would never let go. The two of them only stood there and shared this peaceful moment of just being together after their years of separation._

" _I missed you so much." Rosiepuff sighed shakily, on the verge of crying again._

 _Oaken kissed her head again. He shushed her gently and wiped her tears away. "It's okay. It's going to be all right, you'll see."_

 _Rosiepuff frowned and let go of her late husband. "How can you say that? You can't tell me you haven't seen what has happened. Peppy is gone. Malcolm took over the kingdom. My family is locked away in a dungeon or lost out in the forest." Rosiepuff sighed heavily. "I don't know what to do. Everyone is in danger and I feel like I can't do anything, even as queen. What do I do?"_

" _Well, there are two choices here: you can sit this one out, ride out this storm where you'll be safe and live to fight another day, or you can take a stand alongside your family and fight for your home." Oaken said. "You have a choice."_

" _I made my choice to protect my family. I can't fight Malcolm without breaking my deal with him, and then our grandson and the rest of our family will be at Malcolm's mercy." Rosiepuff protested._

" _Rosiepuff, you have to know: Rosie is alive. She is alive and well and you know she will come back to fight Malcolm."_

" _No. No, you have to tell her stay away. Go to her and tell her to stay away from here."_

" _She won't listen and you know it. The time will soon come for you to face your past, and you will have to face Malcolm to defend your home and family. I know that this isn't the path you wanted to take. You've seen the ugliness of war, and desperately tried to keep our family from it. But sometimes our paths are chosen for us and it is our destiny to follow it." Oaken put a hand to her cheek. "Rosiepuff, you have to keep holding on to the things you love, and move on from the bad moments of your life. I know this is hard, but you are a big part of this kingdom just like our grandson and his children. This was true even before Malcolm forced you to be his queen. You've always found a way before. I know you can now."_

 _Rosiepuff blinked to keep her tears away. "Why did you have to leave us?"_

" _I had a duty to protect the royal family, to protect my friends." Oaken said. "I thought I could save Joy when she was taken. But I only got us both caught. I'm so sorry for leaving you, Rosiepuff. But isn't it the same way Peppy did what he did to save the kingdom? Isn't it the same reason you risked your life for Branch all those years ago? If we're going to succeed in this fight against Malcolm, you must stand by our family's side, draw strength from each other and follow your hearts. You can't keep fearing that something bad will happen to the ones you love, especially when they go running into battle to defend you."_

 _Rosiepuff slowly began to smile again. She kissed her late husband, resting her forehead against his. "Oaken, I promise you I will find a way. I'll find a way to let go of my fear. I won't stop until this is over."_

 _Oaken hugged her tightly. "I must ask one more thing of you."_

" _I would do anything for you." Rosiepuff said._

" _Marry Peppy."_

 _Rosiepuff stared at Oaken in surprise, and then her eyes lowered with sadness. "Oaken, Peppy's dead, remember? He's gone. I lost my chance again."_

" _Rosiepuff, you don't understand." Oaken laughed. "He was going to propose to you. He wanted to marry you regardless of what his father said. I proposed first, and he wouldn't let me take back my proposal. He was willing to sacrifice his own happiness so we could be together. I love you, Rosiepuff, I really do. But he does too. And I know you love him."_

" _Are you mad?"_

" _Mad?! Are you nuts?! I'm thrilled! That's the amazing thing about love. You can give as much of it as you want to whoever you want, and you'll never run out. Rosiepuff, please, marry him. Do something that makes you happy."_

 _Rosiepuff just didn't have the heart to argue with him anymore. "Okay. Next time Peppy proposes to me, I will accept."_

 _Oaken smiled broadly, and Rosiepuff matched his grin. At the very least, Rosiepuff may get to marry Peppy in the heavens. Yes, a wedding in heaven. That sounded divine (no pun intended). Oaken pulled Rosiepuff into another strong hug. They shared one more tender kiss._

" _Be strong, my love." Oaken breathed. "I'll always be with you, watching over you and Branch and everyone else we love."_

* * *

Rosiepuff awoke the next morning with a smile on her face and happy tears in her eyes. She sniffled and wiped her eyes dry. The dream had been bittersweet, but ultimately happy. She could still feel Oaken's presence near her. It brought back fond memories of mornings spent with her beloved. Whenever Oaken woke up before her, he would tickle her ribs to wake her up. Rosiepuff stretched her arms, prepared to rise and ready herself for the day.

Then, Rosiepuff felt something. Her hand patted a shoulder instead of the blanket and pillow beside her. Was she still dreaming? Rosiepuff glanced over to the spot next to her.

Malcolm snoozed peacefully beside her.

Rosiepuff screamed, jumping back so far that she fell off the bed. Her outburst made Malcolm bolt upright, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Rosiepuff stood and wrapped her blanket around her, despite wearing her nightgown.

"What in the hair are you doing in here?!" Rosiepuff demanded.

"What?" Malcolm yawned. "I can't share a bed with my queen?"

" _NO!"_ Rosiepuff grabbed Malcolm with her hair and threw him out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

Malcolm shook his head to get rid of the dizziness. "Geez. Touchy."

Rosiepuff shivered with disgust. She felt like she needed a bath, maybe ten of them.

* * *

 **A/N: How's that for a chapter, huh? I am the Queen of Plot Twists! Well, not really. It took a long time for me to figure out how to do them right.** **The scene with Rosiepuff's dream and talking to Oaken was co-written with neomoon585.**

 **Also, if you don't mind taking time out of your day to tell me, what do you guys think of Malcolm? Has he been a good villain? More importantly, is he a believable one? I'm trying really hard to make villains that aren't just cut from the same mold you see in typical storybook villains.**


	30. Bring It On

**A/N: Finally! The final battle is here! Enjoy!**

 **Frozen Tinkerbell Potter-Lover15 – Ooh! That sounds like a page I need to join!**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – Glad you caught that! And thank you for the compliment.**

 **Feanwen – No, Peppy was counting on Malcolm actually killing him. That was his plan. He didn't think Malcolm would be able to find a loophole like that.**

 **TDICELEBRITY14 – Your wish is my command. :D**

 **So, in this chapter, you'll see an original song I wrote for the fight scene! Enjoy that too!**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty – Bring It On**

Malcolm thought he could forget about his queen punching him and breaking his nose. After all, a broken nose was nothing a little magic couldn't fix. But she had developed this attitude of teenager-like defiance, he had to nip that in the bud.

As he strolled to the dungeon, Malcolm paused for a moment to take in his surroundings. Near-black storm clouds brewed overhead. The only sound was of Gristle, Bridget, and the Bergens futilely hacking away at the thorn bush barrier, which regrew with every vine chopped away. Gloom seemed to hang in the air like a fog.

"What a lovely day." Malcolm sighed in content. He sauntered into the dungeon and straight to Branch's cell. Symphony looked up when Malcolm entered, and she hissed at him. Malcolm shot electricity from his fingertips, and the phoenix collapsed into spasms on the ground. Without hesitation, Malcolm grabbed Branch by his hair and dragged him out of the cell.

Poppy noticed what Malcolm was doing, and she quickly yet carefully passed her son off to Suki so she could approach the bars of the cell. "What are you doing?"

"Mind your own business." Malcolm said dismissively.

Poppy's eyes flared with anger. She finally reached the end of her rope with Malcolm. She threw her hair between the bars of the cell and her pink locks wrapped around Malcolm's neck. She yanked him back so quickly that he slammed into the door to the cell.

"You took my father, banished my daughter, and destroyed my kingdom." Poppy hissed in his ear. "Don't you _dare_ take Branch."

Malcolm reached through the bars of the cell and grabbed Poppy's head. He smashed her head into a wall, forcing her to let go of him. He rubbed his sore throat and glared at Poppy. "What power do you think you have? You are nothing. You will always be nothing." He summoned more electricity in his palm and threw it at Poppy. The pink troll writhed in pain until Cooper could drag her away. The Snack Pack quickly put themselves between Poppy and Malcolm, Suki stepping closer to Poppy while still cradling Ash. Malcolm continued out the door, dragging Branch behind him.

Poppy broke down into tears. "No…...I can't lose him too."

Cooper nudged her gently. "Poppy, everything's….everything will…." Somehow, he couldn't say it. He couldn't tell Poppy everything would be all right. It seemed like that's all anyone would say. "He can't kill Branch, remember? And Branch is strong. Whatever Malcolm is going to do, Branch will live through it."

Poppy let out a shuddering sigh. "I wish my dad was here."

* * *

Malcolm brought Branch to the castle and bound his wrists behind his back with some chains. This would decrease Branch's ability to use his own magic against Malcolm or to protect himself from Malcolm's punishment. Malcolm dragged Branch into the throne room, tossing the black-haired troll at the bottom of the short steps going to the thrones. Rosiepuff sat in her throne, her hands bound behind her back and another length of rope tying her to her chair. She had a gag over her mouth, muffling her grunts of effort in her attempts to escape. When she looked up and saw Branch at her feet, her eyes widened.

"Comfortable, my dear?" Malcolm asked. "No? Well, this hopefully won't take up too much of our time." He snapped his fingers, and Branch suddenly inhaled sharply and his eyes flew open. His sleep spell was broken, and now he was so disoriented that he had to take a minute to look around and figure out where he was. After being asleep for a week, Branch was almost overwhelmed at seeing his grandmother bound and gagged in front of him while feeling the chill of the chains around his wrists.

Then, he saw Malcolm, and Branch glared harshly. "You little rat bastard!"

"Wow. Such harsh language. That's not very kingly." Malcolm mused. He walked up the couple steps to the thrones, and he leaned against Rosiepuff's chair. "You know, darling, I always believe in rewarding the good behavior and punishing the bad. The poor choices you make come with severe consequences, be it by the hand of karma or my own." He brushed his knuckles against Rosiepuff's cheek, making her shy away from his touch. "You shouldn't have broken my nose like that. You shouldn't have hit me. Now I have to hurt you like you hurt me. That's only fair. Don't you agree?"

Rosiepuff soon picked up on what was going to happen. _No…no, don't!_

Malcolm shot electricity from his fingertips, and Branch clenched his jaw in pain as the volts coursed through his body. He went into spasms until the electricity stopped. With his hands bound behind him, he couldn't exactly defend himself. He still glared at Malcolm fiercely.

"Our deal states that I can't kill your grandson." Malcolm said, lightning dancing on his fingertips. "But I'll cause him as much pain as he can stand. Just so you can understand why it's a bad idea to go against me like this."

Despite Rosiepuff's desperate, muffled protests, Malcolm sent another round of electricity towards Branch. This time, Branch screamed through gritted teeth. He writhed in pain, fighting back his screams. Tears streamed down Rosiepuff's cheeks.

Malcolm stopped the torture when he saw Rosiepuff's tears. "You're not going to hit me again, will you? You're going to obey my every order and be a good little wife, like you're supposed to. Isn't that right?"

Rosiepuff nodded slowly. She would willingly walk off the edge of a cliff if it meant Malcolm would stop hurting Branch.

"See, the problem is I don't believe you." Malcolm said. "You spent all this time doing things that make me angry. I'm starting to think you did it all on purpose. Why? Why do you like to make me angry? Is it because you like to see others get hurt because of you?" He sent another round of electricity, and Branch couldn't hold back his shout this time.

She struggled and tugged against the ropes holding her back, but it only gave Rosiepuff's burns on her arms and wrists. _Stop it stop it stop it STOP IT!_

Malcolm leaned down to whisper in Rosiepuff's ear. "Just remember: it's all your fault."

"No, it's not!" Branch snapped. His voice was weak from the torture. "It's not her fault you're such a jerk!"

"Well at least his language is better." Malcolm muttered. He whispered to Rosiepuff, "Don't forget that I only ever harmed your family when you did something wrong. If you would have just stopped doing such foolish things, they wouldn't be harmed. Now, I'm going to see how much pain little Branch can handle. Once that's done, maybe you'll finally learn to obey me like you're supposed to."

Branch locked eyes with his grandmother. _Close your eyes._ He mouthed. He may not be able to stop his screams, but she didn't deserve to see him like this. Rosiepuff squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away. She heard the crackling of electricity, and Branch's screams of pain. It reminded her of Trollstice, of the days she spent in fear. It reminded her of the nightmares she would have of Branch being taken away from her.

 _I never should've come back._ Rosiepuff thought, flinching with every scream she heard.

Malcolm paused in the torture, allowing Branch to breathe. Branch breathed heavily, shaking a little. Malcolm stepped up to the former blue troll and used his foot to push Branch's head up, forcing them to look each other in the eye. Branch still had that look of fury, which hardly weakened despite his own body drained of energy.

"You're stronger than I thought." Malcolm mused. "Let's see how much more you can handle." He summoned lightning in his palm.

" _MALCOLM!"_

The trio of trolls froze in surprise and confusion.

"Rosie?" Branch breathed. Rosiepuff's eyes were wide with shock and fear.

"What?" Malcolm gasped.

"Malcolm!" Rosie stood in a clear area below the Troll Tree, her hands cupped around her mouth as she shouted. "I'm calling you out, Malcolm! Come fight me!"

The other trolls didn't know what their princess was thinking, and they called for her to run and save herself. Rosie ignored them, waiting for Malcolm to appear. Just as she hoped, a black cloud snaked its way down from the palace, and then disappeared to reveal a familiar sorcerer troll.

"What are you doing here?" Malcolm demanded.

"I'm here to challenge you." Rosie said. "You may have banished me, but you can't deny that I am of royal blood. I am a princess of the Troll Tree Kingdom, which means I have a right to claim what is mine."

"Ah, taking a page out of my book. Very nice." Malcolm mused. "But what makes you think you stand a chance against me?"

"I have magic too. I think you underestimate my power." Rosie said. "After all, I was born with magic. You were just given it."

Malcolm's eyebrow twitched. He was well-aware that given magic was not nearly as powerful as magic by blood. "I practiced my given magic for decades. Though you annoy me, I must admit that I admire your tenacity. How about this: become my princess. Be my heir, and I will teach you everything I know."

"Not interested." Rosie said. "I want sole control over this kingdom, and I recognize that I will have to fight you for it. Now are you going to fight me or not, you coward?"

"I am no coward."

"Then accept my challenge. After all, a good king would defend his kingdom, right? A good king would show his people how strong he is, wouldn't he? Are you not a good, strong king?"

Peppy, Creek, and Bliss crouched amongst the Wooferbugs, trapped in a corral. They watched Rosie's interaction with Malcolm anxiously. "Take it easy, Rosie." Bliss murmured. "She's going to get herself killed."

"No, she's playing him like a violin." Peppy assured. "Malcolm loves to show off his strength."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the thorny barrier separating Troll Grove from Bergen Town, Gristle and Bridget were anxious for answers. "What's going on over there?" Gristle demanded. Several Bergen guards stood on each other's shoulders to create a tower of Bergens tall enough to see over the thorny barrier. Chad, at the top, relayed his sights to Todd, who passed the message down to the guards below.

"Princess Rosie has returned, and is challenging the sorcerer!" the guard said.

"What?!" Bridget gasped. "She'll be killed!"

Malcolm stroked his small goatee. He snapped his fingers, and black clouds came down from the palace in the Troll Tree. When these clouds disappeared, Rosiepuff and Branch knelt on the ground behind Malcolm, still bound and helpless. Rosie saw her father and grandmother practically begging, silently, for her to run and save herself. Rosie swallowed her fear and glared at Malcolm again.

"Rosie, you remember the Magic Blood Oath I made with your great-grandmother, yes?" Malcolm asked. Rosie nodded in response. "According to that deal, I cannot kill any of her family. That means I can't kill you, or I'll lose my magic and she—" He jerked a thumb back towards Rosiepuff. "—will kill me. A magic duel often ends in death."

"I am aware." Rosie said. "I've done my research."

"But perhaps you don't fully understand." Malcolm suggested. "By directly challenging me in a fight that could result in death, you will give up any protection from the Magic Blood Oath I made with Rosiepuff. Who in their right mind would give up that kind of protection?"

Rosie's glare deepened. "Me. Now fight me, Malcolm, for control of the trolls. Or are you not a true king?"

Malcolm glared at her. "Very well. I accept your challenge."

There was a reaction like a ripple effect across the trolls and even the Bergens when they heard. Nobody could believe Rosie would do something so daring, so life-threatening. Even with magic, what chance did she have? But nobody could do a thing. They could only watch helplessly. Branch never felt so powerless, still weak from Malcolm's torture.

"I'm ready when you are, Malcolm." Rosie said.

"You know what? I'll be a good sport and let you make the first move." Malcolm said.

Rosie grinned confidently. "Whatever you say." She looked to the Wooferbugs. "Hey Cloud Guy! Hit it!"

An inexplicable spotlight appeared on Cloud Guy, who stood atop a Wooferbug. "You got it, girlfriend!" Cloud Guy started up the bug. Though the creature was surprised, it eagerly blasted out the music Rosie needed.

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Rosie wouldn't let it deter her. Music made her magic stronger. She would take Malcolm down no matter what. She tapped her foot to the beat, feeling the music in her bones and the magic in her blood.

 _Bring it on, I'm not backing down  
Think you got me scared? Make me run away?  
No scream, I won't make a sound  
Not leaving now, I'm here to stay_

As she sang, Rosie created balls of fire and sparks, like fireworks, in her palms. She threw the sparklers at Malcolm, who managed to redirect them. But that arrogant smirk disappeared from his lips. He wasn't expecting such strong magic. Rosie used her magic to break apart the corral around the Wooferbugs, shooting the pieces of wood at Malcolm. The sorcerer used his own magic to turn the wood shards into harmless flowers.

 _If you want me gone, send me running  
You better be prepared to fight  
Watch your back, 'cause I'm coming  
You know that I'm not going out tonight_

Malcolm shot lightning at Rosie, who created a force field around herself to block the attack. Then she pushed the force field towards Malcolm and knocked him to the ground. He growled in irritation and used his magic to create icicles in the air. He threw the sharp pieces of ice at Rosie, but she simply snapped her fingers and the icicles burst into soft snow that dusted her hair, skin, and clothes.

 _I'm confident and I'm strong  
You thought you knew me but you were wrong  
You can beat me up, knock me out  
But you're still gonna hear me shout  
I'm ready for whatever you can throw at me  
So bring it on_

Peppy, Creek, and Bliss watched the fight with awe. "Not bad. Now it's our turn." Creek said. "We have to find a way to free Branch, Poppy, and the others."

"But we need the keys to do that." Peppy said. "Malcolm most likely has them with him. How are we going to get those keys when he's locked in a battle with Rosie?"

"You mean these keys?" Bliss held up a ring with several keys hanging from it.

Peppy and Creek, completely baffled, looked back and forth between the keys Bliss held and Malcolm who still fought Rosie and apparently hadn't noticed the theft. "Wait a minute." Peppy said. "How did you…. _when_ did you…?"

"Don't ask. It's better if you don't know." Bliss said.

Creek blinked a few times. "You have problems."

"Yeah, I know." Bliss handed the keys to Peppy. "You go free everyone in that dungeon over there. Creek and I will get King Branch and Rosiepuff."

Rosie didn't dare check on her friends' and Peppy's progress, in case it drew Malcolm's attention to them. She kept throwing every magical blast she could, deflecting or shielding herself from Malcolm's blows.

 _I thought I had to hold back, yeah I was scared  
Never stood my ground, so full of fear  
Now I'm ready, face me if you dare  
When I'm done I'm sending you out of here_

Creek and Bliss snuck around the fight, out of Malcolm's sight, and approached Rosiepuff and Branch from behind. Creek tapped Rosiepuff on the shoulder, and she gasped through her nose and spun around. But she relaxed when she saw Creek and Bliss. Creek started cutting away at Rosiepuff's bonds while Bliss picked the lock on Branch's chains. Rosiepuff went to Branch's side and helped him stand.

"I have to help her." Branch started towards Rosie, but nearly collapsed.

"No, let her do this." Creek said. "She has this completely under control."

"Yes, but for how long?" Rosiepuff wondered, staring worriedly at the fight.

 _Not giving up tonight  
You want me you better come to fight_

 _I'm confident and I'm strong  
You thought you knew me but you were wrong  
You can beat me up, knock me out  
But you're still gonna hear me shout  
I'm ready for whatever you can throw at me  
So bring it on_

Meanwhile, Peppy ran as fast as he could to the dungeon. He had a sinking feeling he knew who would be in there. He was right: once he got inside, he saw his beloved daughter and her friends in one of the cells. The Snack Pack looked up when the door swung open, and their jaws dropped.

"Ghost!" Biggie shrieked.

Poppy stood and moved past her friends. Suki still cradled Ash in her arms. When Poppy saw the visitor, her eyes widened. "Dad…"

"Poppy, I am so sorry." Peppy said, trying the keys to find the right one for the door. "I shouldn't have put you through that and I certainly didn't think Malcolm would do something so despicable. I thought he would actually kill me. That did seem like what he always wanted, after all." Peppy finally managed to get the door open. "But if I had known he was going to—"

Poppy suddenly wrapped her arms around Peppy's neck in a tight hug. She sobbed silently into his shoulder. "I missed you. And I love you. Don't ever leave me like that again. Please."

Peppy returned the embrace. Tears came to his own eyes, but he blinked them away. "I won't. I won't do that to you again. I promise. I love you so much, Poppy. I'm so sorry."

"I'm just so happy you're back." Poppy said, wiping her eyes dry.

"And I'm going to stay back. But right now, we have to get outside." Peppy urged. "Rosie is fighting Malcolm."

"Is she winning?" Cooper asked as the Snack Pack followed Peppy and Poppy outside.

Based on the looks of things, Rosie was actually losing. She had been on such a roll that she didn't take into account how much energy it would require to use magic. As she began to tire, Malcolm hit her harder and harder with every blast of magic. Rosie's retaliations weren't nearly as strong, and she started breathing heavily. Malcolm sent a tidal wave of lightning, and Rosie put up a shield to protect herself. But the force field began to crack like glass. By then, the entire troll kingdom gathered to watch the battle, hopeful for their princess. The Bergens waited with apprehension as Chad relayed the details of the fight.

With one last blast of magic, Malcolm obliterated Rosie's defense and sent her to the ground. She breathed heavily, sweat on her brow and blood trickling from her nose. She shakily pushed herself upright, watching for Malcolm's next move. He simply gestured for her to try again, almost in a mocking way. He knew she was weak and exhausted. What other tricks did she have now to win?

"You can do it, Rosie!" Bliss shouted encouragingly.

"You got this!" Creek echoed.

Rosie looked to her friends, who continued to call out to her encouragingly. It didn't take long for more voices to join them: Branch, Poppy, Peppy, Rosiepuff, the Snack Pack, and soon the entire kingdom. Even the Bergens on the other side of the thorny barrier shouted empoweringly.

"You can do this!"

"Get back up again, Rosie!"

"Show him what you got!"

"Go, Princess Rosie!"

"You're better than him!"

"Come on, Rosie!"

The more she heard, the stronger Rosie became. Her people, her friends and family, gave her all the strength she needed right now. She stood again, smiling with poise once more. Malcolm threw more attacks. This time, Rosie bobbed and weaved her way through the attacks, coming closer and closer to Malcolm.

 _You think you got me on the run  
Just hold up, 'cause I ain't done_

Rosie finally came up to Malcolm and grabbed the edge of his cloak, pulling it around him. She gave a firm yank on the cape, with a kittenish hip bump, and sent Malcolm spinning away from her. He stopped and shook his head to get rid of the dizziness. When he looked to Rosie, she smirked and gestured down to Malcolm's feet. He looked down and saw an X drawn in the dirt.

Malcolm's eyes widened. "Uh oh."

Rosie stomped her foot, and a column of earth shot from the ground and launched Malcolm into the air like a rocket. Malcolm shouted as he was thrown high into the air, over the thorny barrier and the wall to Bergen Town. He disappeared into the forest.

 _I'm confident and I'm strong  
You thought you knew me but you were wrong  
You can beat me up, knock me out  
But you're still gonna hear me shout  
I'm ready for whatever you can throw at me  
So bring it on_

Rosie sang with more vigor, and her happiness spread across the kingdom in waves. Like a ripple in the water, the colors of all the trolls returned once more. The dungeon near the Troll Tree crumbled to dirt, and Symphony spread her wings, finally free.

 _Yeah, bring it on_

 _Bring it on_

 _Bring it on!_

When she finished singing, Rosie braced herself as her family wrapped her in the biggest group hug they ever did. The trolls cheered loudly for their princess. The Bergens hugged each other, both excited and relieved.

Poppy and Branch held Rosie the longest. "That's our girl." Poppy sighed in relief.

"We're so proud of you." Branch said.

"Thanks." Rosie sighed tiredly. "Hey, I think I need a nap. Can I take a nap?"

Peppy chuckled. "I think that's acceptable."

That's when everyone (besides those who already knew) realized Peppy was alive and standing right there. The trolls looked both shocked and happy. Several of them fainted. Rosiepuff stared at him with her mouth open in shock. She practically tackled him in a hug, laughing in relief.

"You're alive." She breathed.

"It's a long story." Peppy chuckled. Rosiepuff stepped back. She then frowned and punched Peppy in the arm. "Ow!" Peppy whined, rubbing his now-sore bicep.

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again!" Rosiepuff snapped.

"Okay! Geez." Peppy complained, still rubbing his arm.

Rosie laughed. She hugged her father again. "Dad, will you teach me to use my magic? Please?"

Branch chuckled. "I think we're both in the same boat with this magic stuff, Rosie. We got a lot to learn."

Then, a shadow passed over them. Just as everyone looked up to the source, Reaper came down and snatched both Branch and Rosie. The dark phoenix flapped his wings and took off over the thorny barrier and towards the forest.

"I hate that bird." Bliss growled.

"Oh no he doesn't. Not this time." Rosiepuff growled. She put two fingers to her lips and whistled loudly. "Symphony! Let's go!"

The phoenix screeched, coming over and crouching down so Rosiepuff could climb on. Poppy, Creek, and Peppy joined her. "We want to come too!" Cooper pleaded.

"No, you guys need to keep an eye on the kingdom." Poppy ordered. "Watch over Ash. And help the Bergens take down those thorns!" The Snack Pack saluted to Poppy and got to work. Rosiepuff spurred Symphony into flight.

* * *

"Put us down you bird-brain!" Rosie growled, trying to break free from Reaper's grip.

Branch punched the talons of the dark phoenix. "Let us go!" He summoned fire in his palm and shot it at Reaper's face. The bird screeched in pain and dropped his prey. Branch grabbed Rosie and used his hair to swing them safely down to the ground. Branch fretfully looked her over. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Dad." Rosie said. Truthfully, she felt wobbly and weak. She wouldn't let her dad know, though.

Branch saw light coming, and he put up a force field to block Malcolm's blast. Branch pushed Rosie behind him to face Malcolm. The grey sorcerer looked, for lack of a better word, peeved.

"You two…." Malcolm snarled. "The both of you! You're like an irritating rash that just never goes away!"

"Look at that, Rosie." Branch teased. "The feeling _is_ mutual."

"I've had enough of you. You two have ticked me off for the last time." Malcolm threw blasts of magic. Branch deflected each one. Rosie wanted to help, but she was too tired to sing, much less even think about summoning her magic. Branch kept himself between his daughter and Malcolm, determined to keep her safe this time. No matter what Malcolm threw, Branch could deflect or block it with ease.

"Are you forgetting that you can't even kill us?" Branch reminded Malcolm.

"Fine. Then you can come back with me and be my prisoners. I'll make every day of your life a living hell!" Malcolm snarled. "Besides, I have some cages back home that need occupants."

"In your dreams." Rosie snapped.

At the sound of bird screeching, the three trolls looked up and saw a familiar fiery bird fighting with Reaper. Symphony bit and scratched at Reaper, hissing menacingly. But she was so focused on her fight that she forgot about the trolls riding her. Peppy, Poppy, Rosiepuff, and Creek held on for dear life. Creek used his bow to whack Reaper's beak when the dark phoenix got too close to them. Symphony realized the trolls on her back were in danger, and she flew down close enough to the treetops for them to jump of safely. Once they were on the ground, they went straight for Malcolm.

But the sorcerer was ready for them. Malcolm magically caused vine-like flowers to spring from the ground, snaking them around Rosiepuff's limbs and trapping her. When Creek shot an arrow, Malcolm blasted it to ashes. Creek swung his bow like a baseball bat, and Malcolm grabbed Creek and threw him into Poppy. Rosie ran to their sides. Peppy came up from behind Malcolm, but the sorcerer sent a blast of magic that hit Peppy in the chest. It didn't kill him, but it did send him tumbling backwards until he hit a rock. Peppy growled in pain, though he was thankful he didn't hit the nearby Wrinkly Prickly Flowers and their lethal thorns.

Malcolm sent another wave of lightning at Branch, who put up a force field to protect himself. Rosie snuck up behind Malcolm, grabbing a small rock to throw at the sorcerer. Reaper noticed his master in danger, and he pushed Symphony into the ground before darting away. Before Rosie could strike Malcolm, Reaper snatched the girl and flew up with her.

"Do what you want with her, Reaper." Malcolm ordered. "Just get her as far away from me as possible."

Reaper flew higher, heading off above the treetops. Poppy never felt so angry in her entire life. The sight of her family in danger yet again made her blood boil. She grabbed Creek's dagger from its scabbard at his hip. Creek still struggled to regain his breath. When he saw what Poppy was doing, his eyes widened.

"Poppy, no!" Creek shouted.

By the time he shouted, Poppy already reached Malcolm and thrust the dagger into the grey troll's side. Malcolm shouted in agony. He turned and glared at Poppy, his breathing heavy. He jerked the dagger out of his side, the wound apparently non-fatal. Poppy quickly realized her mistake, but it was too late. Malcolm grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Branch readied his magic, but he was too afraid to hit the love of his life to throw it. Creek didn't have a clear shot either. Malcolm tossed Poppy aside, throwing a blast of magic to make her fly father and faster. Poppy slammed into a tree and slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Poppy!" Branch shouted, rushing to his wife's side. He shook her gently, cradling her head in his hand. "Poppy, are you all right?"

Creek came up behind Malcolm to strike him, only for Malcolm to flick his wrist and send Creek tumbling. Malcolm marched up to Branch and Poppy, summoning lightning in his palms. Branch stood in front of Poppy just as Malcolm raised his hands to shoot the lightning. If he couldn't block it, he'd give his life to protect Poppy.

Suddenly, a thorn appeared in Malcolm's chest, near his heart. The lightning disappeared from Malcolm's hands. His eyes lowered to his chest, staring at the bloody point of the thorn. He looked legitimately shocked to see the thorn, especially when he recognized that it was a thorn from a Wrinkly Prickly Flower. Branch, Rosiepuff, Creek, and even Symphony didn't make a sound, too shocked at what they just witnessed. Malcolm slowly turned around.

Peppy stood behind him, breathing raggedly and glaring hard.

Malcolm coughed and choked a little, blood leaking from his mouth. He stared at Peppy with pure astonishment. Then, Malcolm's mouth curled into a grin, and he laughed in a low tone. " _Now_ you're starting to act like a king. Well done, Brother."

Peppy didn't answer. Malcolm began to tilt, and Peppy stepped aside as his brother fell face-first to the ground, dead before he hit the dirt. The marks of the Magic Blood Oath disappeared from Peppy's and Rosiepuff's skin. The vines around Rosiepuff sank back into the ground. Peppy squeezed his eyes shut, his hands clenching into fists. Nobody knew what to say or do. This was King Peppy. He was the most peaceful, non-violent troll anyone ever met. Even Rosiepuff couldn't remember when Peppy ever killed anything, even a bug.

Finally, Peppy looked to Branch. "You all right?"

Branch shook off his shock. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Ever." Peppy looked past Branch and immediately knelt by his daughter's side.

"I think she's fine. She's just knocked out." Branch said. Creek and Rosiepuff slowly approached them. Symphony shook herself to get rid of the dirt on her feathers.

"I'll watch over her. You need to go after Rosie." Peppy urged. Branch looked hesitant to leave his wife, but Peppy spoke again before he could. "I'll take care of my daughter, you take care of yours. Go!"

Branch finally nodded. "Symphony, let's go! Creek, Grandma, you're with me!" The three trolls climbed onto Symphony, and the phoenix took off after Reaper.

Once the phoenix disappeared, Peppy tended to his daughter. A quick checkup revealed Poppy had no injuries besides a bruise on her head. She was unconscious, but she would be fine soon enough. All Peppy had to do was wait. He carefully adjusted Poppy's position so she leaned comfortably against the tree root. He caressed her cheek adoringly, wishing he could do more for his beloved daughter.

"You shouldn't have had to go through this."Peppy sighed. "I'm so sorry, Poppy."

Peppy glanced to Malcolm's body. He stood and went to his brother's side, pulling the grey troll to his back. Malcolm still had a faint grin on his lips, his eyes empty of life. Peppy slowly brushed his fingers over Malcolm's eyes, closing his eyelids and making him appear as though he were only sleeping. Except he would never wake up. The entire situation filled Peppy with sorrow—not only because he lost his brother, but because his brother was so lost for so long himself. The last thing Peppy wanted was to kill his own blood. It all happened so fast, and Peppy just didn't know what else to do.

Still, there was one thing he knew he had to do.

The area around him provided the perfect materials. Dry wood and kindling made the bed, and grass lined the kindling as a fire starter. Peppy unclipped Malcolm's cape from his shoulders and moved his brother's body to the bed of wood and grass. He folded Malcolm's hands over his chest. Then he used the cape to cover Malcolm's body like a shroud. Peppy tore off a strip from the bottom of the cape, wrapping it around another stick. He always carried a couple flint stones in his hair—a trick he learned from Oaken, who even taught it to Branch. Peppy lit the cloth on the stick and made a torch. He tucked the stones away and knelt down next to Malcolm's body. Peppy held the torch in both hands, closing his eyes in prayer. When he finished, he lit the grass and kindling and then placed the torch amongst the wood in the pyre. Peppy watched as the flames grew bigger, consuming his brother's body. A strange smell came from the burning body: a sort of sweet scent, but with an underlying whiff of blood. A trail of deep, dark purple smoke—the same color Malcolm's hair once was—snaked up towards the sky. When that trail of smoke disappeared, the flames emitted no more smoke.

Peppy just sat there, watching Malcolm's body burn. He hadn't felt such a pain in his heart since his father's funeral. This isn't what he thought would ever happen to Malcolm. His own brother, driven mad with obsession. What had Peppy done? Banished him. He banished his own brother.

"Dad?"

Peppy jumped and turned around. Poppy had woken up who-knows-when, and she stared at him with an understanding look in her eyes. Peppy realized he had tears in his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. But fine." Poppy looked past her father to the funeral pyre where Malcolm's body burned. "Why are you doing that? Why does he deserve it?" She didn't sound accusing or angry. Poppy sounded curiously confused.

Peppy turned back to Malcolm. "Because he's my brother."

Poppy came over to kneel next to her father. "Even after all he did?"

Peppy sighed heavily. "Despite everything, he was still my brother, Poppy. I loved him so much; and all I wanted to do was help him. Every day, I wonder what I could've done to help him. What could I have done to show him that he wasn't feeling love? That he was controlled by an obsession?"

"Dad, you gave him so many chances to change. He denied every one of them." Poppy said. "I think you did more than he deserved."

Peppy didn't speak for a moment. "I don't come from a perfect family, Poppy. My mother died when I was young. My father was less-than-fatherly in nature. My brother grew up to be a power-mad sorcerer and a murderer."

Poppy took her father's hand and gave it a squeeze. "At least you turned out all right."

"I suppose." Peppy agreed. "And you turned out wonderfully. You're the best daughter I could've asked for. When you were born, I vowed that I would raise you better than my father had raised me. I would always show how proud I was of you, tell you every day how much I love you, be there for every precious moment." Peppy stared at Malcolm's body. "I taught you to never give up on family, to love them unconditionally. But the reason I told you so little about my side of the family is I was afraid you wouldn't understand. I know, I'm a hypocrite."

"No, you're not." Poppy insisted. "You're my dad, and you're the kindest troll who ever lived. Your brother didn't deserve some of that kindness, but you proved yourself the better troll and the better king."

Peppy looked to his daughter, and he smiled. "Well, at least you turned out all right. You're not nearly as foolish as your old man."

"I just hope that I will be as wise as you someday." Poppy smiled broadly and hugged her father. "We can stay here as long as we like."

"You don't have to stay here."

"Of course I do. He _was_ my uncle, after all."

Peppy couldn't stop smiling, this time with pride. How blessed he was to have such a wonderful daughter. Poppy scooted closer to her father. The two of them went back to staring at the funeral fire, watching the pyre and the body burn to ashes.

 _Rest in peace, Uncle Malcolm._ Poppy prayed. _Move on at last._


	31. Love Everlasting

**A/N: The final chapter is here! I know you guys have enjoyed this story, and I thank each and every one of your for sticking with it until the end. Of course, this is just the beginning. Details for the sequel are below!**

 **Reby Montana – You've been so patient waiting for Part 2. I promise I will get the first chapter up as soon as I can!**

 **Born On The Break Of Dawn – Yes, I have the soundtrack for Trolls Holiday already, and I love it all! My favorites are Holiday, Friend Medley, and Love Train.**

 **Guest – You will have to let me know if any of your theories did not come true in this chapter!**

 **TAPDANCING GIRAF – Aw, thank you!**

 **Jpbake – Wow. Nice language. Don't worry, I take your hatred for Malcolm as a compliment to my writing. :D**

 **Feanwen – Funny you should ask about that. I'm afraid your answer won't come until Part 2.**

 **BTW, no pressure, but I only need 9 more reviews before I hit 300 for this story. That would absolutely make my day. :D**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-One – Love Everlasting**

Even the darkness from the storm clouds overhead couldn't cloak Reaper entirely, especially from a trained hunter like Symphony. The phoenix flew faster and faster, soon catching up with the dark phoenix. Rosie struggled and thrashed in Reaper's foot, calling him every name in the book.

"How do we get her free without hurting her?" Rosiepuff asked. "Remember, those talons are venomous!"

"Someone has to go grab her so Symphony can take Reaper down." Branch said.

"I'll go." Creek offered.

"No, I'll go, she's _my_ daughter." Branch protested.

"Branch, throw me." Creek insisted. "You're stronger than I am. Throw me over!"

Branch had to admit that was a good idea. He took Creek's outstretched hand and crouched down on Symphony's back. "You know, I've always wanted to throw you out."

Creek blinked, suddenly nervous. "Uh….what?"

Branch threw Creek with all his strength. Creek flew faster than he expected. But he tucked his knees to his chest so he could land perfectly balanced on Reaper's back. The dark phoenix hissed, trying to buck Creek off. The purple troll went down to Reaper's foot and sliced his dagger across the dark phoenix's leg. Reaper's grip loosened enough for Rosie to safely slip out. Symphony swooped down and tackled Reaper. Rosie and Creek jumped over to Symphony and climbed onto her back with Rosiepuff and Branch. The trolls had to hold on tight as Reaper and Symphony twisted and turned in the air during their fight. A phoenix fight was something to behold: scratching talons, snapping beaks, and body-slams, all in the air. A couple times during the fight, Symphony and Reaper would grab and restrict each other's movements, causing them to fall towards the ground. Luckily, they would break apart in time to swoop back up to the air and resume the fight.

"How you guys holding up?" Branch called over the wind, keeping his death grip on Symphony's feathers.

"Could be better!" Rosie admitted, holding Symphony's feathers with one hand and hugging Creek with her free arm.

"I feel nauseous." Rosiepuff admitted. She even looked a little green.

"You think Symphony can hold still for a moment?" Creek asked. "If I can get a clear shot, I can shoot Reaper in the eye and give Symphony the advantage."

"What makes you think she or Reaper will hold still for even a second?" Branch grunted when Reaper body-slammed Symphony again.

"All right, then it's time for Plan B." Creek decided.

"What's Plan B?" Rosie asked.

Creek answered by climbing/crawling down to Symphony's legs. The next time Symphony and Reaper grappled with each other, Creek jumped onto Reaper. He climbed up towards Reaper's head, narrowly avoiding Symphony's talons. He did manage to reach Reaper's head, but he couldn't shoot Reaper with the two birds fighting so viciously. So Creek did the next best thing: he pulled out his dagger and held the hilt in both hands. With a shout of effort, Creek plunged the dagger into Reaper's head. The dark phoenix let out a loud, high-pitched screech. Branch, Rosie, and Rosiepuff covered their ears from the sound. Reaper would survive this wound, but he didn't have the mental focus to stop Symphony from grabbing him and dragging him towards the ground. Faster and faster they fell, without any indication of stopping.

"Everyone jump! To the trees!" Branch ordered. The trolls leaped off with all their strength, stretching out their hair to grab the nearest tree branches. They swung themselves to the ground, a couple of them tumbling as they landed. Symphony plowed Reaper into the ground, kicking up dirt and dust. It became silent, save for Symphony's agitated hissing and panting.

Branch scanned the dust cloud still around him. "Rosie! Grandma! Where are you?"

"Dad?" Rosie called. "I'm right here!"

"I'm over here!" Rosiepuff called from somewhere else.

"I'm okay too!" Creek confirmed.

The dust began to settle, and Branch finally spotted his daughter and grandmother. Creek emerged from the dust and waved to them to confirm he was all right. Everyone exchanged relieved looks, thankful it was over.

Branch saw a shadow, and his eyes widened. "Creek! Watch out!"

Creek didn't even have time to turn around. Reaper came from the dust cloud and lunged for the purple troll. The dark phoenix's talons shot forward, one of the sharp points stabbing into Creek's back and through his body. Creek screamed, drowning out Rosie's own high-pitched gasp of horror. Reaper grabbed Creek's hair in his beak and pulled the purple troll off his talon. Symphony tackled Reaper, forcing him to let Creek go, and the phoenix bit Reaper's neck. With a swift jerk, Symphony broke the dark phoenix's neck. Reaper finally fell to the ground and didn't get up again. Symphony hissed at him one last time.

"Creek!" Rosie screamed as she, Rosiepuff, and Branch hurried to the purple troll's side. Creek writhed violently and cried out in pain. Blood leaked from his wound, and the skin around the puncture turned black.

Branch had to hold Creek down by the shoulders to get a look at the injury. Rosiepuff managed to get a good look before Creek's forceful squirming broke him free from Branch's grip. "It doesn't look lethal at first glance, but the venom from those talons cause agonizing pain. He'll exhaust himself or even hurt himself more if he keeps this up."

"The crystal!" Rosie urged. She took Creek's hand in both of her own, trying her best to soothe him despite his inability to really hear her.

Rosiepuff yanked the Phoenix Tear Crystal off Creek's neck, breaking the chain. She breathed on it to activate the crystal's magic, and she pressed the gem to Creek's wound. But he kept thrashing about so much that she couldn't get the crystal to work. "Hold him still, Branch!"

"I'm trying!" Branch would push down on Creek's shoulders or chest, but the purple troll's thrashing forced him free of Branch's grip every time. Creek never felt such agony before. It was like getting scratched by a cat while simultaneously being stabbed with needles, multiplied by a hundred. Tears sprung up in his eyes and he clawed at the dirt. He couldn't speak. The only sounds that came from his mouth were grunts or screams.

 _Make it stop._ Creek begged. _Gods, kill me if you have to, but make it stop._

Branch gave up on holding Creek down and ran to his phoenix steed. "Symphony, come here. I need your help, girl."

Symphony understood, and she dipped her head down closer to Branch. He held out his cupped hands, and a few of Symphony's tears fell into his palms. Branch rubbed the wetness around his hands and went back to Creek's side. Rosiepuff moved aside to let Branch work. Branch focused on his magic, muttering the spell for healing under his breath. He pressed his hands to Creek's wound, still murmuring. Creek inhaled sharply and his body went rigid. He stared blankly at the sky. When Branch moved his hands away, the wound and any mark it left disappeared completely. Creek panted shakily, his eyes sliding shut.

"Creek?" Branch put a hand to the purple troll's shoulder. "Creek, you all right?"

After a moment, Creek's breathing evened out, and he opened his eyes a little. "Thank you, Branch."

Branch smiled with relief. "Well, you saved my life, I save yours. Now we're even."

"Technically, you're still in my debt because I saved your son too." Creek said tiredly.

Branch rolled his eyes and laughed, helping Creek sit up. "He's fine if he can still be a smart-aleck."

Rosie hugged Creek. "That's not funny. Don't do that again."

"What? Give you a heart-attack? Isn't it my job to worry you?" Creek teased.

Rosiepuff laughed, shaking her head. "For someone so calm and Zen, you certainly know how to worry people."

Creek chuckled. "Ironic, I know."

Branch sighed. "It's finally over."

"Thank gods." Rosiepuff said.

The trolls heard movement, and they saw Symphony making her way over to Reaper's body. They watched, confused, as Symphony circled the body of the dark phoenix. Then, Symphony clapped her beak, and sparks came from her mouth. She suddenly blew fire onto Reaper's body, igniting it.

"Since when can she breathe fire?" Creek asked.

"She doesn't…..unless…" Rosiepuff's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "It's her funeral fire."

"What's that?" Rosie asked.

"A phoenix is reborn through fire." Branch explained. "They basically set themselves on fire and they're reborn from the ashes of their body. That's the only time they use their fire-breathing. But why is she doing it for Reaper?"

Reaper's body turned to ashes rather quickly, as phoenixes did when they died, and the quartet of trolls saw movement in the ashes. Branch stood in front of Rosiepuff, Creek, and Rosie, waiting with bated breath. Symphony was oddly calm.

Soon, a head poked out from the ashes. A little bird chick blinked his tiny eyes and sneezed cutely. The chick looked around, and then his eyes settled on Symphony. Squeaking adorably, the black chick hopped out of the ashes and right over to the phoenix. Symphony leaned her head down, and baby Reaper nuzzled his head against hers.

"He's so…so…" Creek couldn't find the right word.

"Adorable!" Rosie cooed.

"I have to agree. He's rather cute." Rosiepuff said.

"But isn't that the same bird who tried to kill us more times than we can count on all ten fingers and toes?" Branch demanded.

Baby Reaper looked to the trolls and hopped over to them. The chick looked back to Symphony, who nodded to the baby. Baby Reaper made a trilling chirp noise, nipping at Branch affectionately. The chick nuzzled Branch so much that Branch fell over.

"Okay, he's kinda cute." Branch laughed, hesitantly petting the black chick's head.

"I don't think you have a choice regardless." Rosiepuff said. "It looks like Symphony is a mother now."

"But why doesn't Reaper remember us?" Rosie asked.

"That is a bit weird that Reaper doesn't remember anything from his past life." Branch said. "That's not normal for a phoenix."

"I think that's from Creek's last blow. You hit him right in the head, Creek." Rosiepuff said. "He must not remember us at all."

"Well, as long as Symphony is raising him, he'll be okay. She'll teach him to be careful with those poisonous talons of his." Rosie said. "Can we keep him, Daddy? Please?"

Branch laughed, rubbing the phoenix chick's head. "Might as well. But we can't call him 'Reaper' anymore. Too creepy."

"What do we call him?" Rosie asked.

Branch stared at the little black phoenix chick. He thought for a long moment. "I'm going to call him 'Shadow.' What do you think, Symphony?"

The phoenix cooed like a dove.

"I guess that's a 'yes.'" Branch chuckled. "Welcome to the family, Shadow."

* * *

Symphony carried her new baby gently in her talons while the trolls rode her back. They flew back to Poppy and Peppy to pick them up. By then, Peppy already spread the ashes of the funeral pyre around and made them unnoticeable. Poppy already agreed to not tell anyone what they did. There wasn't any point to telling them.

Unfortunately, when they returned to Bergen Town and Troll Grove, they saw the thorny barrier Malcolm created still standing strong. Symphony flew down and hovered in front of Gristle and Bridget.

"Glad to see you guys are okay." Gristle said.

"We were so worried. But we heard you beat him, Rosie!" Bridget said with delight.

"It's finally over." Rosie confirmed.

"Yeah, except we still can't get these thorns down." Gristle said. "We've been trying everything."

"Sometimes magic can stand on its own, without the caster's strength." Rosiepuff said. "Magic is what made these thorns, so magic must bring them down."

"Rosie and I can take care of that." Branch said. He steered Symphony up and over the thorny barrier, landing on the ground near the Troll Tree. The trolls gathered around, voicing their concerns over their inability to bring down the thorns.

"Don't worry!" Poppy called out over the trolls. "We got this covered."

Tulip raised her hand like a student in class. "Queen Poppy! Who's that?" She pointed to the black bird chick.

"That's Shadow." Branch explained. "He's Symphony's baby." The dark phoenix chick looked around at the trolls and made a little squeaking sound. The trolls let out a collective, "Aww."

"All right. Let's get these thorns down." Rosie said.

"You sure you can do it?" Branch asked.

Rosie paused. "Well, I actually could use a little help, if you don't mind."

Branch chuckled. "I'll follow your lead, baby girl."

Rosie grinned. She thought for a moment, and then began to sing.

 _Beaten down, survived the fight  
Now my heart is full and light  
Times were dark, but don't you know  
After every storm is a rainbow_

Rosie raised her hands to the thorns. A soft glow emitted from her palms, but the thorns did not move. Branch and Poppy came up to sing with her, and Branch brought his own magic out to help his daughter.

 _Sometimes it's like the darkness won't go away  
Things get crazy, and your nerves begin to fray  
But then you power through, handle it in stride  
Whether pass or fail, it fills you with pride_

 _Everything's gonna be okay  
That's what they always say  
It didn't seem like it before  
Now I feel like I can soar  
The storm has passed  
The rain has stopped  
The tears are gone  
And now  
Everything's gonna be okay_

Finally, the thorns began to recede. The brambles untangled themselves and started creeping out to the lampposts, trashcans, and houses of Bergen Town. Some of the vines even went around the edge of Troll Grove and up the Troll Tree. As they did, the thorny vines became flowery and beautiful.

Rosie felt a little wobbly, but Peppy and Rosiepuff came to her side to help hold her up. They, too, joined in the song.

 _Let's stand together, unite as one  
Show the world that we're not done  
Bring your strength and I'll lend you mine  
Let everyone see how bright you shine_

Even the Snack Pack couldn't resist, singing for their niece and offering her their strength. Cooper hugged Rosie tightly, pride in his eyes.

 _We're right behind you, hand-in-hand  
Be right there to help you stand  
Never back down, don't give up_

Guy Diamond tousled her hair, his voice switching to auto-tune.

 _Come on, girl, strut your stuff_

 _Everything's gonna be okay  
That's what they always say  
It didn't seem like it before  
Now I feel like I can soar  
The storm has passed  
The rain has stopped  
The tears are gone  
And now  
Everything's gonna be okay_

At the command of Rosie's and Branch's magic, the brambles became flower vines that decorated the surrounding area. Malcolm's magnificent castle faded away, and the Troll Tree and the pods that hung from it restored. The dark storm clouds overhead rolled away to rain somewhere else, and the clear skies revealed a peaceful evening.

 _After all we've been through_

 _Everything's gonna be okay  
That's what they always say  
It didn't seem like it before  
Now I feel like I can soar  
The storm has passed  
The rain has stopped  
The tears are gone  
And now  
Everything's gonna be okay_

* * *

 _Dear Love Scrapbook,_

 _I have created you out of love, yes, but that is not all you are about. You are a chronicle of the love I see around me._

 _The love of my parents, which got them through the toughest times._

 _The love of my family, which will always be my strength._

 _The love of my bond with Creek, who ended up being my soulmate._

 _The love of my grandparents, which stood the test of time and led them to their marriage on this day._

 _Watching my Grandad Peppy and Great-Grandma Rosiepuff get married is just one event that has taught me so much about love. Love is unconditional and infinite. There are all kinds of love. Sometimes it's mutual: both trolls know they feel it for each other and accept it. Sometimes it's like my parents: a childlike crush that blossoms into true love. Sometimes it's like my grandparents: complicated and messy. My grandparents weren't just stuck in a love triangle; they were stuck in a love dodecahedron. It took a long time for them to get to this point, and now they can finally live the rest of their lives together. I can only hope my relationship with Creek is just as sweet._

 _I know about love by looking at my family. May this scrapbook be a testament of that._

 _With love,_

 _Princess Rosie_

Rosie nodded in satisfaction and set the scrapbook aside to let the ink dry. It had been a month since Malcolm's defeat. Once everyone recovered from the incident, Peppy decided he was tired of waiting and wondering. _I'm too old for overthinking,_ he said. He proposed to Rosiepuff, who remembered Oaken's request and happily accepted. Branch and Poppy were thrilled, and Poppy gathered her girlfriends to help with the preparations.

Rosie heard a knock at the window, and Creek poked his head inside. "Hey, you're about to miss the cupcakes." Creek warned.

"I'm coming." Rosie hopped up from her spot and followed Creek outside.

"What were you doing in there?" Creek asked.

"Just some scrapbooking." Rosie shrugged.

Creek chuckled. "Like mother, like daughter."

"Yep." Rosie shrugged. "Come on!" She and Creek ran out to the end of the branch and leaped off, using their hair to swing down to the ground. The party was still going on down below, where several picnic tables were set up with cupcakes being passed around. Peppy and Rosiepuff were ever by each other's side, she donned in a white gown and he dressed in black pants and a black jacket, both outfits designed by Satin and Chenille. Simple, yet elegant. The bride and groom hadn't stopped smiling at each other.

Rosie went to join her mother and aunts, talking excitedly about the ceremony that was just an hour ago. Creek approached one of the tables and grabbed a cupcake for himself. He turned around and nearly choked on his cupcake when he saw Branch right next to him.

"How are you so quiet?" Creek asked.

"You pick up a few things when you're constantly hiding." Branch shrugged, taking a cupcake for himself. "I want to tell you something, Creek."

Creek wasn't sure he liked that tone. "Uh…what is it?"

"I'm not sure I really like you." Branch said. "But now, it's for an entirely different reason. You're a teenage boy dating _my_ daughter. Now, even I can't deny that you two share a bond as soulmates, and I won't get in the way of that. But if you do not give her the respect she deserves, or if you hurt her in any way, I am going to throttle you, cut you into pieces, and feed your remains to Barnabas. Understand?"

Creek wanted to believe Branch was kidding. But he knew better than to think that by now. "I understand completely."

Branch slapped him on the back good-naturedly, almost sending Creek to the ground. "Very good." He stepped away from Creek and returned to his wife's side.

"I saw that." Poppy said.

"Good." Branch shrugged.

Poppy bumped her hip against Branch's side. She noticed the faraway look in his eyes, and she kissed him. "Branch, you've been looking at your grandma strangely for, like, a week. What's up?"

"I just have so many questions for her." Branch said. "I know so much about my dad, but I've never really known who my mother was. I had her necklace, a piece of her I always carried with me. In a matter of months, I find out that not only did she ride and train a pet phoenix, but she was a sorceress. A magic-wielder by blood. I have so many questions."

"And you don't know how to ask her?" Poppy guessed.

"I don't know if I can ask her right now." Branch corrected. "This is a happy occasion. I feel like my mother's past is not a happy one, and I don't want my grandma to worry about this just yet."

Poppy nodded in understanding. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'll give myself a year. Or as soon as I master my magic. Whichever comes first." Branch said. "Then, I'll ask my grandma about my mother."

Rosiepuff broke away from her talk with Satin, Chenille, and Suki to find her new husband. She kissed Peppy's cheek. "Well, it took a few decades, but I think Oaken would be pleased."

"I will bet you anything he and Joy are laughing at us right now." Peppy laughed. "Cupcake?"

"Thank you." Rosiepuff reached for the cake Peppy offered, but then Peppy pulled it back.

"Oh wait, aren't we supposed to feed it to each other?" Peppy asked.

"Really?" Rosiepuff gave him an exasperated look. "Even Oaken didn't make me do that at our wedding."

"Come on. Indulge me for but a moment." Peppy requested.

Rosiepuff rolled her eyes. "Fine. Pull that cupcake in half." She took half that Peppy handed her, and she pushed the cupcake so quickly into his mouth that he nearly choked. He laughed, brushing crumbs off his mustache.

"All right, your turn." Peppy said.

Rosiepuff tried to look annoyed, but she had to smile at how cute he acted. She opened her mouth, and then yelped in surprise when Peppy not only pushed the cupcake into her mouth but onto her face too. "Peppy!" She complained after swallowing the cake in her mouth.

Peppy laughed heartily. "Hey, you got some frosting on your nose."

Rosiepuff grabbed another cupcake and smashed it into Peppy's face. "Hey, so do you." Peppy smirked and snatched a cupcake to throw at Rosiepuff. She ducked, and the cupcake sailed through the air and hit Branch in the face.

"Ugh!" Branch wiped frosting off his face and glared in irritation.

"She did it!" Peppy pointed to his new wife.

"He did it!" Rosiepuff pointed to Peppy.

Branch threw a cupcake back towards them. Both trolls ducked, and the cupcake hit Cooper. He tossed a cupcake at Rosie, and she caught the cupcake and smooshed it into her mother's face.

"Cupcake Fight!" Poppy shouted, throwing a cupcake at Branch. It only took a few minutes for an all-out cupcake war to begin. By the time the trolls ran out of ammunition, everyone was covered from hair to toe in cake and frosting. But everyone laughed, too, and not a single frown could be seen.

"Wait, I need pictures of this!" Biggie squealed, pulling a camera from his hair.

"Over here, Biggie!" Rosiepuff called. "Let's get a family picture."

"I'll take it!" Bliss offered, taking the camera from Biggie. Rosiepuff, Peppy, Branch, Poppy, Rosie, and the Snack Pack gathered around and posed for the picture. Poppy cradled Ash in her arms. Suki grabbed Creek and pulled him into the picture too. Rosiepuff hooked an arm around Branch's shoulders and pulled him in close. Branch couldn't hold back his grin even if he tried.

"Everybody say 'cupcake'!" Bliss said.

"Cupcake!"

THE END

* * *

 **A/N: Anyone who thinks Reaper couldn't have survived Creek stabbing him in the head, I cite Phineas Gage. Look him up. :D**

 **All right! Part One is done! I've decided (with some advice from a friend) to separate** _ **The Flame of Happiness**_ **into three separate stories and make it a trilogy. Keep an eye out for the next installment!**

 **Also, that first chapter may not come for a while. I have some organizing to do for my stories. But be patient and you will be rewarded!**

 **TTFN!**


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